Sea Day: Monday May 20, 2013

Our final day onboard was spent packing our things and reminiscing.  Jessie and I asked Hildy what her favourite parts of the trip had been.  The answers were as follows:

·         Santorini for the beauty and flowers

·         Ephesus for the rich history

·         Malaga for the flowers and amazing views

·         Ship Food (because it was amazing)

·         Service on the boat; like not having to make her bed

All in all, it was a fantastic vacation.  We saw so much and had the opportunity to experience these wonderful things together.  They’re memories that will last us a lifetime!

Zeebrugge, Belgium: Sunday May 19, 2013

Our last port of call was Zeebrugge.  We met early to find our transfer bus taking us from the ship to Bruges; this was another tour we purchased through the online excursions site.  Initially we panicked because we couldn’t find the way out of the port, it was full of other cruise ships and huge carrier containers.  Finally we found a bus that shuttled us to the entrance and we were able to locate our taxi.  Unfortunately the last couple didn’t show up on time and we ended up waiting for one hour for them.  There was a Chinese man in the back seat who was very upset with the driver, but he really had no power in the situation.

Finally we were dropped off in the heart of Bruges, which was so charming.  The cobblestone streets and old architecture filled with various sculptures gave it such a enchanted feel.  We walked around the streets and looked at various shops and cathedrals.  There were several musicians playing on street corners which gave the area even more of a magical feel.

Eventually we made our way to a little sausage shop.  We bought a foot long sausage to share and enjoyed it thoroughly… it really hit the spot!

Afterwards, we made our way to a little café where we planned to try the infamous Belgium Waffle.   We decided to treat ourselves to some coffee and cake as well.  The waffles were slightly disappointing because there was too much sugar in the batter; which resulted in crunchy pastry when you bit down.  Perhaps this is the way they’re supposed to be, but none of us really enjoyed it.  The cake was much better. 

As we came to the town centre, there was a large fountain with various sculptures in it.  One of which was a mermaid with water pouring out of her nipples.  Hildy especially liked her and we joked around her for quite some time.

Walking along the various old streets, we stopped periodically to just admire the beauty around us.  The sights were so beautiful especially because of the contrasting cobblestone and flowing water in the river. 

As we were admiring the river, we saw a little boat cruise that ran through the canals of Bruges.  It looked so charming and offered a different vantage point of the city.  We decided to take the tour and eventually found the line.  The wait wasn’t too bad and soon we were boarding into our little boat.  Our tour guide spoke several languages and rotated between them to explain various facts and history. 

We found that although Hildy enjoyed the various historical buildings, her favourite parts were the wildlife.  This is demonstrated by the fact that when we came across a swans nest, she was so excited and expressive… more than she’d been for the whole trip because she hadn’t seen one before

After the boat tour, we made our way back to where our shuttle dropped us off originally.  Soon our driver came back and brought us back to our ship.  Bruges was a wonderful way to end our ports of call. It encompassed all of the charm and magic that we could want in a little town.  

St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands: Saturday May 18, 2013

Our day began with a quick breakfast followed by a short line up as we waited for the tenders to take us to shore.  The ride was pretty quick and we were soon stepping off the boat onto the beautiful Guernsey Island. 

The three of us began by walking along the pier heading towards an old fort.  On the way we came across a local gentleman who chatted with us for a while; he was very friendly and showed us some of his English charm. 

On our way to the old fort, we stumbled across one of the cutest things I’d seen in a long time; a training pool for kids to learn how to sail.  There were about three adult men standing in the water wearing waders coaching at least a dozen children in miniature sized sail boats.  The three of us stood there and watched them for a good fifteen minutes.  One little girl was freaking out because she was scared and the men just encouraged her to keep going.  I was amazed at how well these little kids were able to handle the various ropes and tasks involved in sailing; so impressive! The cuteness factor was off the charts; it is something I’ll always remember. 

 Soon after, we came to Castel Cornet.  This was built by the English in the 13^th century to control the harbor.  Since then it had been developed and expanded as military needs have changed.  It was besieged by the French during the Hundred Years War and changed hands four times.  During the English Civil Wars it was the last Royalist stronghold to surrender to Parliament. 

In 1672, a huge explosion demolished the heart of the medieval castle and its dungeon. English soldiers continued to be garrisoned there until 1940 when it was occupied by the Germans.  In 1945 it was given to the States of Guernsey and now holds five museums, four historic gardens and hosts a variety of events. 

The castle was beautiful to look around especially since it was situated right on the waterfront.  Jessie took lots of beautiful photos.  We continued our walk along the pier and made it to the lighthouse where two men were catching fish.  It felt wonderful to have the ocean breeze in our faces and enjoy the freshness of the morning.

Walking back into the heart of the town, we took time to window shop and observe the cute little businesses.  We stopped in at the tourist office to exchange some currency and get a map.  It was probably good that this was our only English stop because we realized that money really doesn’t stretch that far here; it’s nothing like Spain. 

Continuing on our adventure, we walked through some little streets and made our way towards the infamous gardens.  Once we arrived, we were surrounded by the lush beauty of nature (and very talented gardeners).  We took time to smell the flowers and then parked ourselves on a nearby bench; giving ourselves the opportunity to take it all in.  There was a young family playing on an open patch of grass in front of us; a father on the ground rolling down a tiny hill with his little daughter—it was lovely. 

As we walked through the botanical gardens we found a greenhouse that was filled with beautiful plants and flowers.  Hildy enjoyed looking at the numerous orchids inside.  We also went inside the restrooms, which featured a three-in-one sink unit that would soap, wash and dry your hands using sensors… very high-tech!

Continuing on our walk, we went back to the centre of town and found a pub with a good wifi connection.  We decided to stop for a snack and catch up on some correspondence with home.  Knowing that we had a bit of cash left over, we ordered garlic bread and a crab cake (the size of a large egg).  These two little appetizers came to a total of $30 USD… we were all floored! Hildy made the comment that the food wasn’t worth it, but the experience definitely was!

As we continued back through town, we did some window shopping.  The streets were lined with tourists from the ship and everything was overpriced so we appreciated with our eyes, not our pocketbooks

Heading back to the ship, there was hot chocolate available as well as warm towels before we got on the tenders; that’s one of the things I love about cruising… such service!  Finally we arrived back on the boat and had a delicious meal before relaxing for the rest of the evening. 

Sea Day: Friday May 17, 2013

We used today as a recovery from the last few crazy days of touring.  We slept in until almost 10am this morning and then had a nice breakfast.  Hildy wasn’t feeling that great (partly from the rocking of the boat) so she went back to the room to lie down.  I went up to the Crow’s Nest to write my blogs, and Jessie stayed back on the Lido deck to read her novel.

We met back up at 1pm for lunch.  They served Indonesian food for lunch today so Jessie and I both took advantage of that, and Hildy found herself a yummy roast beef sandwich.

Following lunch, I came back to the room to continue writing and Jessie and Hildy went to a lecture on the Vikings.  The rest of the afternoon was spent on quiet time in the cabin and at 6pm we headed to the Tamarind for a gourmet dinner!

The Tamarind has to be one of my favourite places on board the Eurodam… the food is exquisite!

Following dinner, we were all in a monstrous food coma.  We came back to the room.  Jessie and I planned to head up to the hot tubs, but our rest took longer than expected and we realized that the hot tubs were about to close.  We were able to catch the sunset from the window in our stateroom which was a nice experience.

Jessie and I finished off the movie Thelma and Louise and then got our things ready for the early morning to come.  

Vigo, Spain: Thursday May 16, 2013

Our tour started at 10:30am and we were quickly met outside by our guide Orchidia.  Unfortunately as soon as we got outside, it began to rain and didn’t stop for the entire day.  The sky was gray and the surrounding areas weren’t nearly as pleasant as they would be if it were sunny, not to mention it was extremely cold.  Nevertheless, we boarded the bus and were on our way to Santiago, Spain. 

The journey lasted about an hour and our guide made small conversation with us in an effort to pass the time.  When we got off the bus, it was still pouring and there were numerous vendors selling umbrellas.  We eventually caved and bought two large ones. 

Upon entering the Cathedral, we were impressed by the immense size.  There was a mass occurring and there was not a single seat available in the expansive cathedral.  Everyone was soggy from the downpour and everyone was elaborately decked in ponchos, umbrella canes and rain slickers.   Hundreds of backpackers came with their large packs and were joining together in the worship.  Most of the service was conducted in Spanish, however the priest also made references in German and English. 

It was a great experience to be able to hear the organ play and the hundreds of people worshiping together.  Our guide tried to talk to us several times while in the cathedral, but monitors kept telling her to be quiet and respectful (I can completely understand this quiet policy).  The door to the crypt under the alter was open during the service, so we were able to go underneath the priest and look at the prize possession of Santiago Cathedral , the remains of Saint James. The church itself was founded on the place called “Field of Stars” where reportedly several shepherds saw many stars pointing to the grass where St. James was buried centuries before. The church was started in 800 AD and the village of Santiago developed around it, mostly during the time of 14^th century. We spent about 40 minutes walking around and observing the church, and finally we left the area.

Orchidia gave us a quick tour of the grounds, but I requested to go to a café for some coffee because we were all quite cold, especially Hildy.  She obliged and we soon found a café where we sipped on some delicious Spanish coffee. 

Orchidia talked to us about green wine, which is similar to white, except it has bubble and is a bit lighter.  Jessie and I were interested in trying this so she took us to a winery where we could purchase a bottle.  By this time, everyone was cold and uncomfortable, so there was a large push to get back to the bus.

Our guide gave us a hurried run through of the surrounding areas and we made our way back to the bus.  Jessie spent the ride home talking to Orchidia, while I tried to warm up in a nap (unsuccessfully).  The driver stopped the bus just outside of Vigo, on a hill where we could oversee the cityscape.  Jessie and I got off the bus to take a few photos and the rain was finally stopping.  After a couple shots, we re-boarded the bus and made our way back to the ship.

Once we were onboard again, Hildy went to the room to warm up in the bathtub and Jessie and I hit the buffet.  We had a yummy lunch and brought Hildy back a roast beef sandwhich which she happily ate in her warm bed. 

We didn’t do much for the remainder of the evening.  Jessie rented the movie Thelma and Louise, but Hildy wasn’t that interested in it… she didn’t approve of the sex scenes, but it was pretty funny to watch her face twist in horror.  

Lisbon, Portugal: Wednesday May 15, 2013

We began the day with breakfast in the dining room because our tour didn’t start until 11:30am.  Jessie and I thoroughly enjoyed our meals, but Hildy said her eggs were ‘gross’ because they were too runny.  It's difficult to cook to everyone's tastes and preferences. 

The ship had predicted 30 degree Celsius weather for the day and so we put on summer clothing, but when we glanced outside everyone was in long pants and jackets.  We decided to dress a bit warmer then, which was a good choice because it was actually a high of 15 for the day and windy.  I was not impressed with the lack of meteorological accuracy from the ship. 

Once outside, we met our tour guide, John.  We filled into a small van and the tour was set to go.  There were only 10 people on the tour, so it was nice and small.  We set off by driving through the town, which had tiny streets and was very hilly.  There were many similarities between Lisbon and San Francisco.  We learned that the same architects were hired to build the bridge in Lisbon, as those who created the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Throughout our driving tour we saw the diamond building which is now a museum and John discussed the history of the town.   We learned that 75% of the population died in an earthquake during the 18^th century.  This was a trilogy of a disaster because it encompassed an earthquake, fire and tsunami.

 

Much of the city is built over water and has a pine tree base.  The salt from the water preserves the trees so they don’t die.  They shift if there is an earthquake, which provide a good foundation for the buildings etc. 

Next, we were dropped off and looked around at a local cathedral, the Church of Santa Maria Maior Lisbon Patriarchal Cathedral built in the 12^th century.  This was another breathtaking cathedral with flying buttresses and was built in stone, and accented with stained glass.

Back on the bus, we passed the largest archway for an aqueduct in Europe, reaching 68 meters tall. 

Soon we were arriving at the Church of Belem.  It displayed beautiful stone masonry.  There was vast enclosed space with domes and typical cathedral carvings and paintings.  The cathedral was highly embellished and one could spend hours looking at the small details.  The building continued to house several other museums; however we unfortunately didn’t have time to visit them. 

Following the cathedral, John took us to see several maritime monuments along the Tabus River.  One monument was erected displaying 29 men, in honour of the seafarers who discovered so much of the world.   It was made to celebrate how much Portugal discovered of the world.  It included a marble map in the forefront which illustrated the different places discovered across the globe. 

From a distance, we saw the Jesus Statue; a replica of that in Rio de Janeiro.  It was built from the thankfulness that Portugal didn’t get involved in the Second World War.  People from churches raised money to build the monument out of vast gratitude.  Jesus’ nose is over one meter in length and it is positioned so that it can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. 

The tour ended and we were dropped off in the city centre.  We walked the Promenade filled with street performers.  Hildy was overwhelmed by the number of beggars and didn’t know who to help.  We did some window shopping and found a wonderful Portuguese bakery where we bought a variety of tarts (including the traditional egg/cream tart) and a bun.  We also purchased some freshly made strawberry juice which was a hit. 

We walked around a bit more, but there was such strong wind that day, that we were all quite cold.  We settled at a café and bought come coffee and soup, but didn’t stay long.  Soon we were headed back to the ship. 

We had dinner with a lovely couple from Texas and enjoyed getting to know them.  Jessie spent the majority of the meal talking with the husband about cameras and photography, as he had done it semi-professionally for the past 30 years. 

During the meal, the captain made an announcement that we were experiencing hurricane strength winds gusting more than 65mph.  This made for a rough ride and it was evident when looking out the windows that our ship was sitting at a 30 degree angle!

The captain told the passengers not to be alarmed, that the ship could tolerate such winds but recommended that the ladies not wear high heeled shoes, as they’d likely fall over and hurt themselves. 

After dinner, I felt a little queasy with the rocking of the boat, but I decided to join Jessie and Hildy for the Marriage Game Show in the theater.  I stayed for more than half of it, but then felt ill and retired to the room.  Jessie and Hildy stayed for the show and enjoyed the Indonesian show that followed.  I’m sure it was a good production. 

Cadiz, Spain: Tuesday May 14, 2013

We began our day in Cadiz with a quick brekky.  Jessie and I have been enjoying the congee onboard and we get it loaded up with tofu, chicken, beef, onions, garlic, seaweed, and mushrooms.  Hildy is a huge fan of the pickled herring onboard.  She eats it every morning with pumpernickel bread and a slice of cheese.  She says she’ll never get bored of it.  (For someone who dislikes fish, she loves her herring!)

Once we left the ship, we emerged outside.  Similar to the day before, it was cool, but later on in the day the sun did come out. 

We began with the Constitution Monument of 1812; it was a monument which represents a large Spanish Parliament flanked by allegories to war and the fruits of peace, whilst the Constitutional Text is placed upon a high pillar, with Justice situated at its base. 

Our intent was to move from there to the cathedral, but we took a wrong turn and ended up at the port side where we found high walled Promenades that looked out onto the ocean.  Beside them were beautiful gardens situated on stunning porcelain tiles.

The Promenade was decorated with stunning fountains, magnificent trees and an assortment of flowers.  Combined with the porcelain tiles, it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland.  

As we continued walking along the Promenade, we eventually came to the Botanical Gardens.  These were filled with whimsical hedges, plenty of benches and an assortment of plants.  The best parts of these Botanical Gardens however, were the cats.  There were so many!  Hildy was slightly outraged by the number around us (perhaps 20) but many were small black cats, and reminded us all of Dilly… how we missed him!  Jessie thought it would be apt to rename the gardens DillyBear Park.   Jessie couldn’t resist the temptation, and bent down to play with an affectionate little black cat.  Within no time, more were around her investigating. 

Another interesting aspect of the Botanical Gardens were the random dinosaurs displaced within. We weren’t sure why they were there, but we managed to get Hildy to pose with a T-Rex, so that was good fun!

Following the gardens, we arrived at the beach.  By this point, I was in desperate need of a bathroom and there were no public ones in sight, so we decided to sit down at a nearby café.  Here we ordered some delicious coffee with hot, frothy milk and checked our email.  It was a pleasant way to spend some time in the early afternoon… people watching at the beach right in front of us. 

As we continued along our way, we found a local shoe store and Jessie and I both treated ourselves to a new pair of shoes.  We’re surprised by the cheap prices on footwear here.  I bought a pair of nice, leather wedges for only 15 Euros… who can say no to that?!

After the shoe store, we made our way to another church.  This one had its interior covered in gold.  It was stunning.  The name of the church was the San Lorenzo Martir and I believe it was built in 1725. 

We soon arrived at the covered market which was the oldest marketplace in Spain.  It had a neoclassical look with columns surrounding exterior walls, which framed all the stalls inside.  There were many different types of stalls selling meat, produce, fish, wine and cheese.  Many locals were there doing their local daily shopping.  We tried a wine and cheese sampler which was very good!  This was Jessie’s favourite type of pick-me-up.  Hildy wasn’t too thrilled with either the wine or cheese and decided that she’d rather try some sausage.  I took her to various vendors who sold sausages and raw meat, but I think she was worried about getting sick because she didn’t want to commit to trying anything from any stall we came across. 

We later walked through flower market… Hildy was in paradise and then perused some of the shops.  We located a charming bakery and went inside to buy some treats.  We took our baked goodies to the steps of the cathedral and sat down and ate our pastries there.  They were delicious, but Hildy couldn’t resist sharing hers with the pigeons… soon we had nearly 50 pigeons surrounding us!!

Finishing our treats, we entered the Holy and Apostolic Cathedral of Cadiz, built in 1722.  The interior was magnificent and features a broad, complex apse-aisle where triangular and square vaults have been used, together with some sixteen chapels divided up into the side naves. 

The chapel took 116 years to complete and the various tastes of the architects were clearly seen.  The cathedral began in baroque style, seen by the ground plan and the interior.  However it was finished in Neoclassical style, seen by its façade, towers, domes and the second part of the interior, as well as most of the alter pieces and the high alter. 

Through some research, I learned that the 16 chapels are as follows:

1.       The Chapel of St. Peter

2.       The Chapel of the Virgin of the Assumption

3.       The Chapel of St. Sebastian

4.       The Chapel of St Thomas of Villaneuva

5.       The Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angel

6.       The Chapel of Brother Diego Jose de Cadiz

7.       The Chapel of St Benedict

8.       The Chapel of San Servando

9.       The Chapel of San German

10.   The Chapel of St. Theresa

11.   The Chapel of the Sacrarium

12.   The Chapel of St. Joseph

13.   The Chapel of San Juan Bautista de La Salle

14.   The Chapel of the “Corazon de Jesus”

15.   The Chapel of the Adoration of the Kings

16.   The Chapel of St. Paul

Inside the cathedral is also a crypt which was built between 1722 and 1730.  This was made out of “oyster stone” (A local stone excavated from the sea).  The world famous Manuel de Falla and the poet, Joes Maria Peman have their remains still in the crypt. 

Following the crypt, we saw gold and gems from the ‘new world’ (South America) which had been brought back to create new religious relics and treasures.  This concluded our self guided tour of the cathedral and we exited the building in awe. 

Following the Cathedral, we attempted more shopping however this was not a success because Hildy does not share the same enthusiasm for shopping and I think she was worn out from the day already.  Needless to say we arrived at the ship 1 ½ hours early because we couldn’t risk being late!

We all had some ‘alone time’ on board and did our own thing.  Later we met in the room before dinner to look through some pictures and share a bottle of wine.   It didn’t take much before Hildy thought she was drunk.  She was angry with me for giving her too much wine but it was quite funny to see her wobbling around the stateroom.  (In reality, she had less than one glass, so I don’t think it’s possible for her to be drunk). 

We proceeded to have a nice dinner, then came back to the room and rented Freedom Writers. All in all, it was a nice day.  

Malaga, Spain: Monday May 13, 2013

Our day in Malaga started fairly early as we were meeting a walking tour at a specific location which we had to find.  Jessie worked as our navigator using maps I had printed out previously.  She did a great job and even found an unintentional shortcut which brought us to the location in record time.

Our tour started and our guide Mariam was giggly and bubbly.  While she was interesting to listen to, Hildy wasn’t particularly thrilled with the fact that she was so giggly when discussing wars and deaths; she felt that she lacked some respect when it came to talking about such heavy topics.  Luckily, Mariam’s friend Marco, who is also a tour guide came along and offered a substantial wealth of knowledge. 

We began in front of Teatro Cervants, a local theater, where Man of La Mancha was written.  This is also where Antonio Banderas was inspired to become an actor.  From there, we moved onto Picasso’s Square and saw where Picasso was born, in the corner house of the square. 

At the forefront of the square, we saw a monument depicting the death of 49 men who fought for Spain (this included one Irish man, who was a pirate). 

We walked up the hill and saw a Muslim castle which was later taken over by the Christians when they took over Spain.  There were plenty of beautiful flowers which Oma appreciated.  As we walked through the promenade, we saw ABC buildings (Academy, Bank, Post Office—Carte). 

Walking into town, we approached the Roman Theater, but opted for a pee break instead (we knew we’d come back later) and then moved onto the cathedral called the “One Arm Lady”.  It was named this because it only has one tower.  The cathedral took over 300 years to build, but was never actually completed because the citizens liked it the way it was, and didn’t want to change anything.

As we walked along the main shopping promenade, we noticed many large brand name stores that we have back home.  Finally, we found the Constitution Square, commemorating Spanish freedom and liberty.  It displayed newspaper spreads on the ground which showed the actual newspaper headlines from that time of independence.  Jessie and I both thought this was a great way to display history. 

We entered the Botanical Gardens and walked through the beautiful smelling paths.  Our guides gave us a bit more history and talked about Spanish life, and then our tour ended.  We said goodbye to our guides,  gave them a tip and then headed back to the Roman Theater and Picasso Square. 

Here, we had lunch, which consisted of sangria and tapas.  It was very enjoyable, especially since street musicians would come up and play beautiful music while we were dining.  The only downside of this was that during our short lunch, we had half a dozen people come by us asking for tips.  You could go broke in this city just by tipping everyone who asked. 

As we walked back to port, we took time to see the roses and gardens.  Jessie and I found a little park and took the opportunity to ride the see-saws… you’re never too old right?!  We visited a nearby beach to put our feet in the water, which was still quite cold and finally we spent some time watching the many cats that inhabited the beach.  Many of them were black and looked like Dilly which made Jessie quite nostalgic. 

After we boarded the ship and had supper, we came back to the room and ordered a movie: Legally Blonde.  Surprisingly, Hildy enjoyed the movie (more than I did anyways).  

Cartagena, Spain: Sunday May 12, 2013

Today was our first stop in Spain.  We decided to start the day off right and had lunch at the Tamarind restaurant.  Lunch is complimentary but is only offered on select days, so we made sure to book a reservation ahead of time to reserve our seats. 

It was quite delicious.  We had a Hot and Sour Soup (which was actually spicy), followed by Fried Rice, Dim Sum and Spring Rolls.  To finish, we had deserts consisting of Mango Ice Cream, Green Tea Tiramisu, and Coconut Ice Cream.  Although lunch wasn’t nearly as good as the first dinner we had, it was still very nice and I’m hoping to return. 

Once we left the ship, we began walking around in the town of Cartagena, which was right off the pier.  The weather was quite chilly in the late morning and required a jacket and scarf.  While we were walking, we noticed quite a lot of people biking around with the same t-shirts.  We later found out that there was a bike marathon occurring. 

Throughout the town were beautiful flowers, which Hildy really enjoyed.  Flowers are one of the few things she’ll actually stop to take a picture of with her camera.  An aspect which Hildy didn’t appreciate, but that Jessie and I did, was the graffiti.  It was quite artistic and displayed beautifully. 

One of our first stops was the Modern Art Museum.  This was housed in a colloquial building which was transformed from a 19^th century home into the museum.  We only had about an hour before the museum closed, which meant that we couldn’t see the whole thing.  As it was, Hildy and I could quickly browse through the exhibits, but Jessie needed time to appreciate each piece and felt rather rushed. 

Following the museum, we bought drinks at a local halal shop and then walked along the adjacent promenade to view the beautiful gardens.  We came across the old bull fighting ring but were only able to look at the exterior, because it was closed for reconstruction. 

As we continued walking throughout the town, we stumbled upon a building designed by one of Gaudi’s students.  It was set in a lovely square with huge tropical trees.  We spent some time just sitting here and observing the great architecture and beautiful surroundings. 

A little while later we came to an archeological site filled with ancient roman baths.  Hildy didn’t want to go into this exhibit because she was worried that we wouldn’t get back to this ship in time. 

As we continued walking we came across a shoe store and Jessie found a pair of shoes. Hildy wasn’t too thrilled to be spending time in a shoe store and this made tensions rise a bit, but things settled down again once we found the Euro Store and we all found some things to buy.

After shopping, we called home to wish mom a Happy Mother’s Day, but the reception was horrible.  We continued walking towards the pier and saw some beautiful fountains.  Further on, we saw a huge sculpture of a naked man.  I decided to have some fun and pose with the sculpture.  We later learned that this was a monument commemorating the victims of past terrorist attacks.  This information made me feel a little guilty of my slightly inappropriate poses. 

The walk back to the ship was scenic and it was lovely to gaze at our huge cruise ship amongst all of the little boat in the marina. 

Once we were back onboard, we went for dinner and were surprised with beautiful red roses in honour of Mother’s Day.  One of the servers inquired about my rose and said that it’s for my future children.  I shocked him by replying that I have six kids at home… he wasn’t sure how to respond to that.  I love to “press buttons!”

Following dinner we went to ShowTime and then headed to bed.

Sea Day: Saturday May 11, 2013

Today was my designated recovery day.  I was still quite under the weather so I used the sea day as an excuse to do nothing.  Jessie and Oma were more than happy to comply and we took books and read in various spots throughout the ship. 

During the afternoon, there was a Royal Tea onboard.  We went and were impressed by the immaculate display of goodies prepared for the event.  I took a plateful with the hope that I would be able to taste them, but unfortunately I couldn’t, so my plate was given to Jessie. 

At the tea, we met some lovely people from Vancouver and got to know them.  Hildy was a bit more talkative here, but still allowed Jessie and I to carry most of the conversation.  I didn’t’ mind though; since I couldn’t enjoy my food, at least I could enjoy some conversation. 

Following the tea, we made our way to the Lido deck for an Ice Sculpting Demonstration.  It was quite impressive to watch as the sculptor created a beautiful eagle out of a block of ice.  We learned that there are various types of ice blocks and an average size costs about $80 USD just for the ice. 

Later in the day, I still wasn’t feeling that well, so we decided to go to the Lido for dinner, rather than the dining room.  This is much more informal and for someone with a constant runny nose, it isn’t quite as problematic. 

Afterwards, we headed to the grand stage where there was champagne and a captain’s toast commemorating the second part of the cruise.  The show for the evening was themed Romantic Hits, and was put on by the singers and dancers.  It was very well done and even Hildy was grooving along. 

Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy: Friday May 10, 2013

Jessie is taking over this blog today. This morning, we had an early wake up, and as we got ready we could watch both the sky get light with morning and our ship’s arrival into Civitavecchia. We prepared for our tour and did some last minute cleaning in our cabin for the sanitation happening later that evening. Laura was miserable. Her cold prevented her sleeping much, and she couldn’t breathe. Yesterday, we purchased some Italian cold meds, and even they didn’t seem to touch her symptoms today. She was very conflicted on going on the trip or resting, but seeing as the ship needed to be empty of passengers, she had to go. Therefore, she packed up her boxes of tissues and cough candies and tried to be eager to go.

We had a quick breakfast in the Lido buffet this morning with Laura and I eating Japanese Congee (like a porridge made with chicken broth and rice). Laura topped hers with Jalapanoe peppers, and those had a fiery reaction to her sinuses. After breakfast, we ambled over to the main stage, from where our tour would commence.  It is nice to think that we will have one tour from the ship, and not all externally booked. It is even nicer to think that it is FREE! J

We got on the bus, and Laura luckily seemed to get a corner of the bus all to herself, so she didn’t have to worry too much about her cold symptoms. For much of the tour she took it easy and relaxed and Hildy and I paid more attention to the guide’s informative lecture. The tour was going to be entirely on the bus with a little free time by the Vatican, finishing off with a provided lunch.

As we travelled the 75 minute trip into Rome, our tour guide told us about the lovely country side that we were passing through.  The rolling hills, lush farmland and trees were so picturesque and it was pleasant watching the scenery drift by. We learned that Civitavecchia means “Old City” and aptly because it has been in use as the main port city for Rome for over 2000 years. Unlike the port city where the Tiber river flows into the ocean, Civitavecchia is rocky and deep so large ships may dock. The mouth of the Tiber River (whose Port name means Ox’s mouth – though I don’t recall the actual name) is sandy and not functional for this purpose. Roman troops would port in Civitavecchia and then travel a few days to Rome. On route, there were some healing springs in which they would wash. These springs are located in the Italian countryside and are still in use today and free to the public. They heal(ed) skin irritations and other maladies, and were very valuable to the ancient world in a time of much less advanced medical capabilities.

Our guide’s name was Massimo or Max, and he told us that the countryside was full of tombs belonging to the Etruscans, the ruling power before the Romans. I believe he said that these tombs dated around 800BC. He also pointed out castles that belonged to one of the ruling families (not quite as renowned as the Medici, but the Roman equivalent) who had seven castles and owned most of the countryside. They would collect taxes, etc, from whoever farmed their lands. When Italy was unified over a century ago, they gave the land back to the country, but kept the castles. Apparently Tom Cruise was married in one of them.

Arriving in Rome we had to drive quite some time still to get to the original city center. We saw the original walls of the city, back from Roman antiquity. Massimo even showed us the Etruscan walls a little further in, which were in further disrepair, but it was very interesting to see the development of Rome and how it has grown over time. We also saw a beautiful church, with stunning colonnades and a breathtaking mosaic piece along the façade of the building. The church is one of the seven  most prominent of Rome (there are many more than seven, but there are seven main ones, apparently). The mosaic was predominantly bright gold, and stunning against the grey morning.

We drove by many of the sights that we had walked on our previous time in Rome. It was nice to get to hear the history of all the places we had already perused. First we saw the Roman Forum, or palaces of the past Emperors. Right beside it was the chariot race track – the Hippodrome, I believe. Apparently each Emperor wanted to add a personal touch to the palaces, so they became massive over 900 years.

Though we only quickly drove by it, Hildy was entranced by the Royal Rose garden of Rome, which holds 20000 varieties of roses. The colours as we passed by were phenomenal.

We also drove by the Coliseum. Like a modern stadium, it could hold 55,000 spectators at once. It was well organized, as each visitor had a number to a corresponding arch from which to enter. This meant that the full theatre could be emptied within ten minutes! Furthermore, it was free to go in, but the seats where sectioned by class and gender, women only permitted in the top of the stadium. The stadium was built around Nero’s personal swimming pool (about the size of a lake). I don’t recall, but perhaps this is why it could be filled to reenact naval warfare. The outer wall of the coliseum is destroyed on one side, due to an earthquake. It is also called the “Swiss Cheese Ruin” because the stone is pock marked. This is because there used to be metal rods decorating and supporting the structure, but they were removed by vandals.

Other sites we saw included the Arch of Constantine, the ruin of the first shopping mall ever, and then the center square where the large victory monument stands. What we thought was the parliament building previously is actually a victory monument, which today hosts two separate museums. The belly of the bronze horse in front of the monument is actually the size of a bus! Massive! This square was also the site of Mussolini’s apartments and Michelangelo.  He stayed in this square for much of his life, and even died there, though his body rests in Florence.

Afterwards, we drove around some of the ritzy areas of town, which host outdoor eating venues and the most expensive hotels. Then we drove around the Borghese Gardens, where we were told about the impressive gallery therein. Someday I would love to spend some time there because, amongst other things, they have the biggest Raphael collection. The Borghese grounds are mostly open to the public today, and are very expansive, even holding a zoo. The family still exists and have a (lovely, I’m sure) private home on the grounds. Just a peak into the wealth of the Catholic church, but one of the Popes (was there a Borghese Pope?) gave the entire park, all decorated, to his nephew as a gift. Incredible!

After a little more driving around, the bus let us off near St. Peter’s Basilica. The church is massive, and I think that nothing in Rome can tower over it in height. The dome was created by Michelangelo, and holds over 400 steps to get up. The church can hold 65,000 people. The line was far too long to go in, but this is where Michelangelo’s Pieta is. We thought this was the line for the museum last time we were here, but it is just to get into the church. Hildy was sad that we didn’t have enough free time during our visit this time to go in.    

Before we were left to our own devices, Massimo showed us mosaics close up. The fine work put into them was incredible. Then we went off on our own. We searched for a farmacia (Pharmacy) for Laura to buy herself more meds, then did what we do best – a little souvenir shopping! Our free time was quickly over after our casual strolling, so we headed with our tour group to lunch.

Our lunch was good for the fact it was free, but it wasn’t stellar food in the end. The free wine was good, but I was sorely disappointed by the Tiramisu that tasted like chewy foam and fake whip cream. Way to ruin my favourite cake! I had more wine instead of dessert.  The best part of the meal was Hildy’s reaction to Espresso – I caught it on film!

 The trip back to the ship was pleasant, and we headed back to our (now sanitized) rooms. Laura immediately got into her PJs to try and sleep off her cold, but we realized that there was a mandatory safety drill occurring shortly and Laura had to get dressed again. Afterwards, we had a laid back night, having dinner in the Lido. We got Hildy another book from the ship’s library to read, and enjoyed a pleasant time just in our stateroom that evening.

 Jessie, logging off!

Naples (Sorrento) Italy: Thursday May 9, 2013

Thursday morning I woke up very congested and unable to breathe properly.   We were scheduled to take a shuttle into Sorrento that day, but I wanted to be in top shape, so I headed down to the medical office after breakfast to buy some pills.  The nurse practitioner informed me that I couldn’t purchase any more decongestants unless I booked an appointment with the doctor.  In my opinion, this was quite ridiculous, because I only had a cold, but I wasn’t about to waste time arguing.  I just decided to find a pharmacy in Sorrento.

When we boarded our shuttle bus, a father with a young baby sat directly in front of me.  The baby was only 10months old and very cute.  Ironically, the tour company had sent a large 60 person bus, but there were only 8 passengers on board, so it was very spacious.

Jessie tapped me on the shoulder and suggested I move further to the back of the bus, so as not to infect the baby.  While this was a very thoughtful and practical suggestion, I teased her about sending her own sister off to be quarantined. 

The ride from Naples to Sorrento took about 1h 15mins.  The journey along the coast was winding, but extremely beautiful.  When we arrived, we were given 6 hours of free time to walk around and be tourists before the bus picked us up again. 

We spent most of that time walking around and shopping.  Even Hildy was finding her inner-tourist and bought four beautiful scarves.  We all bought some jewelry and various trinket items. 

Nearing noon, we began looking for a Wi-fi connection and found a gelato café which advertised internet.  This turned out to be the best gelato we’ve ever tasted; it was made right on site with fresh, local ingredients.  What’s even better was that they gave us the upstairs room to use which featured cute café tables and a verandah window which overlooked the street below.  This provided a nice, private place for us to call home and get updates on life back in KW. 

Following the gelato, we continued shopping and found a cat peering out from his balcony above us.  Hildy loved this sight and we took many pictures.  We eventually made our way back to the bus pick-up location with plenty of time to ensure we weren’t late.

I slept on the journey back to the ship and when we arrived, we were hungry! We went to the salad bar and Hildy grabbed a Bratwurst (which she shared) as a snack before dinner.  We found a notice in our room about a mandatory meeting at 5:15 so we made sure we attended. 

During the meeting, we were informed about the “Code Red” in affect on the ship.  There had been several GI (Gastro-intestinal) illnesses on board during the last few days and the crew were doing everything possible to stop the transmission of bacteria.  In an effort to be extra-thorough, they wanted to clean the entire ship from top to bottom the following day, which meant that all passengers must be off the vessel.  That was disembarkation day for most guests, who were ending their cruise in Rome, but for us, we were registered for back-to-back cruises, so we were planning on staying on board.

In an effort to keep everyone happy, while ensuring maximum health and safety, the cruise line offered us a complimentary tour in Rome, complete with transportation, guide and lunch.  The only catch was that EVERYONE must take the tour, so that the crew could sanitize the ship. 

We were quite thrilled with this news because it gave us a free tour, when we didn’t really have a plan for the day to begin with.  Part of me was slightly disappointed because I was under the weather and thought it would be beneficial to spend a day in bed, but the perceived value of a complimentary tour won me over. 

We went to dinner afterwards and had a lovely meal.  We were told by Titto that both he and Purna would be moved to closed dining the following day, so it would be the last time we would be dining with them, which was unfortunate.  However, I’m sure we’ll still see them around the ship.

During the end of our meal, Hildy reminded us that today would have been Opa’s 80^th birthday.  Jessie and I had both neglected to remember this day and we felt horrible for not trying to do something special for Hildy in remembrance of him. 

After dinner, we decided to take a walk around the deck.  I asked Hildy if she was sad today and she said that yes, she was.  I wasn’t quite sure what to say to comfort her, so I told her that I’m sure that if Opa could see her, he’d be happy that she was traveling around the world and making memories with her granddaughters.  Of course, I couldn’t get that all out without blubbering, so we were all standing around crying for a little bit.  Then it got cold and we went inside.  In the room, Jessie and I hugged Hildy into a ‘Hildy Sandwich’ which got her giggling. 

Our last task for the evening was to clean our room immaculately so that all of the surfaces could be sanitized.  This is not an easy task for three people crammed into a stateroom—we had so much stuff!  Finally, however we managed to pack everything up and clear off all of our surfaces.  We went to bed and prepared for the day in Rome tomorrow.  

Messina, Sicily, Italy: Wednesday May 8, 2013

Today we grabbed a quick brekky and set out fairly early to explore the coastal city of Messina.  It was located right at the pier, so we didn’t have to walk far to begin seeing the sights.

We opted to do this day ourselves instead of joining a tour because we thought it would be fairly easy to navigate throughout the city.  We began in a small church right across the street from the ship.  It was called Chiesa SS. Annunziata dei Catalani, which had stunning flowers surrounding it—a huge selling feature for Hildy. 

Afterwards, we went to one of the biggest attractions, the Bell Tower and Astronomical Clock, also known as Orologio Astronomico.  Jessie of course spent a significant amount of time here absorbing the details and workmanship that went into building the magnificent structure.  Unlike Hildy and I, who looked at it, were impressed and moved on, Jessie could have spent hours admiring it.

We began walking through various streets looking for attractions and soon became lost.  A couple of elderly Italian men seemed to notice our unease and came up to us and tried to offer us assistance.  Although there was a large language barrier between us, they communicated simple directions for finding a fountain.  We weren’t sure which fountain this was, but decided to walk there anyways.

We soon found the fountain and noticed steps leading up to a large church.  After climbing half of the steps, Hildy exclaimed that she had climbed enough and would wait for Jessie and I to come down after we went to the top.  It took a bit of persuasion, but we were able to get her to climb the rest of the steps.  The reward was well worth it… a spectacular view of the cityscape and harbor and even our cruise ship from a distance. 

We enjoyed the outside views for a while and then headed into the church to sit for a while.  There were some employees in the back of the sanctuary selling various trinkets to tourists and negotiating prices which impeded some of the ambiance, but overall it was lovely.

On the way back, we decided to take the back road, instead of the steps.   There were no sidewalks because everyone parked their tiny cars on them, so we had to be cautious for oncoming traffic, but it provided us with a different view.  We encountered a couple malnourished cats along the way who struck sympathetic chords in Hildy’s heart… she wished she had some food for them, but alas, the cat treats were long gone. 

Once we got back to the regular streets in town, we found the flea market.  We walked up and down a long street which had various vendors and cafes.  Hildy loved all of the flowers and fruit stands, especially the strawberries.  Jessie and I were quite shocked by this, because she had wanted to go to the flea market all day; we assumed to buy some souvenirs, but really, she was taken with the strawberries!  We told her she should buy some, but she declined because there was no water to wash them, so instead we just looked at them and committed them to memory. 

Jessie found an art store and a few clothing shops to browse through.  Unfortunately she didn’t find anything for herself, but I bought a dress and two purses, so I was quite pleased. 

On our way back, there had been an accident on the sidewalk and the ambulance was just arriving.  In an effort to avoid the chaos, we decided to take a side street, which led us to a supermarket.  Browsing through supermarkets holds much joy for both Hildy and myself.  I love to look at the various foods and goods for sale, and see the differences between the countries.  Jessie does not share this fascination with us.  Nevertheless, we spent a good 20 minutes browsing the aisles and picked up two bottles of wine, a bottle of coffee liqueur and some throat lozenges. 

Following the supermarket, we were in search of a café with Wi-fi.  This was no easy task and proved to be one of the most difficult locations to find an internet signal.  We finally stumbled upon a pizzeria which advertised free Wi-fi.  After we ordered a very cheesy Italian pizza, we connected to the internet, but the signal was so weak we couldn’t call home.  One of the most surprising aspects of this trip is how much Hildy needs to be connected.  She’s almost always the one asking about internet and calling home.  I assumed that since she hasn’t used a computer in her life, she wouldn’t care about staying connected with home, but she loves to call home and get updates about her cat and flowers.  It’s charming!  And she never complains about stopping to check email, which is nice. 

After our slightly disappointing pizza, we headed back to the ship where we cleaned up and went for dinner, which was superb, as usual.  For dessert, they served a poached pear which was drizzled with a dark chocolate ganache… it was so fantastic!

Hildy went to bed after dinner, but Jessie and I stayed up to catch the show.  Performing tonight was Lance Ringwald, a USA Olympic Gymnast who showed us various acrobatic techniques using a walker and silks.  He was quite impressive as he was showing his skills (especially in his tight spandex uniform), but the most impressive aspect was when he informed us he was 42… I would have thought 28…. Oh, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle!

Jessie and I had our eye candy for the night, so it was off to bed for sweet dreams!

Sea Day: Tuesday May 7, 2013

Today was very uneventful.  Hildy and Jessie were both suffering with their heat rashes, and I came down with a cold (sore throat, sneezing, and headache).  We decided to take it easy today and try to recuperate for the upcoming ports of call. 

Hildy woke us saying that we needed to clean up the room (it was warranted, as our room looked as if a bomb went off) and then we had a late breakfast.  After breakfast, we spent some time reading in the Crow’s Nest, and then had lunch.  Following lunch, we went for an ice sculpting demonstration, and Jessie and I napped outdoors, while Hildy retired to the room.  At 3pm we met for Afternoon Tea and then we all went outside to do some more reading.

Tonight was a formal night, but none of us wanted to dress up, so we decided to forego our formal dinner, and eat in the buffet area instead.  We had a simple dinner and then came back to the room to watch Remember the Titans with big cups of lemon tea. 

At 10:30pm, there was a Dessert Extravaganza onboard.  We decided to go with the intention of observing with our eyes only.  Of course, willpower only goes so far.  Hildy was impressed with the magnitude of sweets on display. 

Piraeus (Athens), Greece, Day 2: Monday May 6, 2013

After a quick breakfast, we made our way off of the ship and into the port to meet the guide for our tour: Essential Panoramic Athens.  Our morning was so rushed in fact that we didn’t have time to return to our room after breakfast for Hildy to ‘clean her teeth’.  Nevertheless, we met our guide in the port terminal and were directed to a large Pepto-Bismol pink bus. We were surprised by the number of people on the tour but it turned out that since the day before had been a holiday, half of the passengers on board were scheduled to do the tour the day before, but as everything was closed, their tour was pushed to May 6^th instead.  

Initially, I was not overly impressed with our tour guide Chris.  She seemed overly frazzled with the number of guests on the tour, but I later learned that this was not her fault.  Once we got moving and began the tour, one of our first stops was the Constitution Square.   Originally, we were just going to take photos out of the windows of the bus, but the Changing of the Guard ceremony was set to begin in 10 minutes, so Chris decided it was best for us to stay and watch.

When I got out of the bus, I was approached by a man who offered me bird food to put into my hands.   A little shocked, I simply put out my hands and soon I had pigeons flocking all around me and resting on my arms.  The man snapped a Polaroid, and Jessie was quick to also capture the event on film.  Before I knew it, the man was demanding 5 Euros for the picture… I should have known this tourist trap and been more assertive.  While I didn’t think the tiny picture was worthy of almost 8 dollars, I gave the man 2 Euros and told him that was all I was giving him, and he could keep the picture if he wanted to.  He ended up giving me the photo, but called me a ‘Crazy American’ as I was walking away; clearly unimpressed by his earnings from me. 

The Changing of the Guard ceremony was interesting to observe, but did little to impress me of Greece’s power and authority.  The men wore puffy white linen ‘dresses’ which were gathered just under the thigh.  They also wore white tights (which Hildy referred to as panty hose) and shoes with a large “Bummel” on top.  When they walked, they would raise their right leg higher and then stomp it on the ground.  It was interesting to see the process of switching the guards (and all of the obscure steps taken to do so) but the whole ordeal struck me as fairly bizarre. 

As we were leaving the Constitution Square, Jessie held out an empty open palm and a pigeon landed on her forearm looking for food.  Clearly they’re well trained here to observe dining opportunities.  We took advantage of the chance for a photo shoot for Jessie and then climbed back onto the bus.

A little while later we were visited the Pan-Athenian Stadium, which was the site of the first modern Olympics, held in 1896.  This was basically a large stadium, but ropes prevented people from entering.  Crowds of tourists lined up around the ropes and took photos of the sight. 

We then drove past the Neoclassical Trilogy: the Academy, University and National Library.  These were built in Neoclassical times, which means it looks like ancient Greek styles with relief sculpture of Greek mythology (about the goddess Athena,  Athens’ namesake), but was built in recently modern times (mid 1800s). 

We were soon approaching the Acropolis.  The tour group exited the bus and made our way up quite a few steps where we waited for Chris to get our tickets.  Since everything was closed the day before, it seemed as though everyone in Athens was at the Acropolis.  There were hundreds of people everywhere you looked.

It took about an hour of waiting, but once we were finally in the Acropolis, we began our guided tour.  Chris gave us some excellent information and explained the stories and myths of Greek history.  We were able to see the Temple of Athena Nike from a distance and also saw the Erechitheion with its Porches of Maidens. 

Navigating through the Acropolis was no easy task.  The terrain was very uneven and the marble surfaces made everything fairly slippery.  Jessie and I were now extremely cautious with Hildy so we each had her arms when walking with her.  People on the ship have stopped us and asked us who we’re travelling with.  When we tell them it’s our grandmother, they mention what good care we take of her… clearly she’s quite the envy of many of the older passengers. 

Our tour lasted for about an hour and a half and then we made our way down and had free time to tour around the surrounding areas.  We walked along a beautiful promenade filled with little tourist shops and restaurants.  We found a lovely little Greek Yogurt shop that made homemade yogurt and topped it with various ingredients.  We had a pine honey and walnut yogurt… it was fantastic!  It also had Wi-fi, so we used the opportunity to call mom and dad with another early wake-up call. 

Returning to the ship was also a pleasure.  We stopped off at the duty-free store on the way and did some shopping and then came back to our room and showered.  Hildy had a bit of a sun-rash on her face and neck so Jessie and I had been covering her with towels soaked in ice water.  The first time I did this, I felt horrible because she screamed like I was torturing her, but now we’ve gotten used to it and we think it’s helping. 

We also took Hildy to the medical centre to get some Benedryl which seems to be working somewhat.  We had a nice dinner in the dining room and then watched Finding Nemo with Hildy, who proceeded to fall asleep (probably from the drugs).  Jessie and I decided to take advantage of our sea day the following day, and stayed up relatively late.  We played some ping pong (terribly), went to a fantastic magic show on board and then saw the Philippino Show, put on by the crew.  It was a lovely show which Hildy was sad she missed.  

Piraeus (Athens) Day 1: Sunday May 5, 2013

Today the ship arrived in Piraeus quite early but it is Greek Easter, so nothing was open.  We decided not to do much touring today, but instead to enjoy the comforts of the ship and relax after the last few busy days. 

We enjoyed a nice breakfast in the Lido deck and then proceeded to go to a kitchen tour for the ship.  We learned that the kitchen prepares an average of 13,000 meals daily.  The average weekly consumption of food includes 12,000 lbs of meat; 23,000 eggs; 1,600 lbs of butter, 8,000 lbs of potatoes; 3,800 lbs chicken.  Quite the operation they have running here on the Eurodam!

Following the tour, we went onto the deck and found some shade to lie in.  We spent the next hour and a half reading books and enjoying the warmth outside.  Then it was back to the dining room for more food—lunchtime!

Jessie and I spent the afternoon lounging by the pool, getting to know one of the lead vocalists, Justin.  And Hildy spent the afternoon doing her hair and having some ‘me time’.

When we came down to the cabin to get her, Hildy was reading a book in her curlers.  We straightened up her hair and then went out into port to walk around a bit.  We had hopes of finding an internet café to call home for Greek Easter, but everything was closed.  The port was supposed to have free Wi-fi, but we couldn’t connect.

We came back to the ship in time for dinner and enjoyed another fabulous meal (they do spoil us).  Afterwards, we headed back to the port for another attempt to Skype with the family for Greek Easter, but still we weren’t able to connect.  After 30 minutes of trying to connect to the internet, we headed back to the ship.  This is when an attendant at the port informed us that the internet is down and will hopefully be fixed tomorrow… what luck! Oh well, it was worth a try and hopefully we’ll get to hear all about the Easter festivities at the Nasiopoulos house in a few days.  

Kushadasi (Ephesus), Turkey: Saturday May 4, 2013

Saturday was an early start.  We met our tour outside at 7:15, amongst a large number of tour busses and operators.   Our tour guide was a very knowledgeable Turkish woman.  The tour only had about 16 people so it was a nice size and allowed us to travel at a reasonable pace.

After piling onto the bus, our first stop was the House of the Virgin Mary.  This was way up in the hills in the outskirts of Ephesus.  It is believed that Jesus told John to take care of his mother Mary and so he brought her to Ephesus to live in hiding, so that she would not also be persecuted.  She lived away from the town and was given food by some of the woodsmen who hunted in the surrounding forests. 

Today, a small temple/church has been built where Mary is purported to have lived.  The inside is lined with pictures of her and Jesus.  Candles can be purchased and lit in honour of loved ones.  Also, there is a wishing wall lined with thousands of wishes and prayers sent to Mary. 

I think this experience would have been much more meaningful if I were Catholic, but nevertheless, it was still very interesting to see.  While we were there observing the prayer wall, a Korean lady asked me to take a photo for her (I recognized she was Korean from the Hangul writing on her booklet).  I spoke briefly to her in Korean and she was so happy—she kissed me on both cheeks and took a photo with me… so cute!

Our next site was the ancient ruins of Ephesus.  This was one of the sites Hildy was most excited about.  As we arrived, there were crowds of people and tours gathering—we knew it would be a busy day, but we were determined to make the most out of it. 

As we walked through the ruins, our guide told us the fascinating history behind the designs and architecture of this ancient town.  The streets were all made of marble and it was designed in such a way that on hot days, small holes would open from the nearby fountains and wash over the hot marble in order to cool it down.  Also, the geographical location of this city was chosen because of the slight ocean breeze that is ever-present and serves to circulate the air, ensuring maximum comfort to the inhabitants. 

The ancient town had an underground sewage system which would even use warm water in cold months to keep the toilets heated and comfortable.  Furthermore, there were separate water pipes and ducts flowing throughout the city showing advanced plumbing knowledge.

We saw carvings of the present day prescription symbols, which illustrated the location of a hospital.  Also the goddess Nike was located in a nearby carving, which was later adapted into the Nike trademark in the 1980s. 

Our guide took us to the Library of Celsus, which was built as a memorial to Gaius Julius Celcus Polmanus, the Proconsul of the province of Asia.  It included underground passageways to the nearby brothel for discreetness. 

We also had the chance to enter the Grand Theater, which is where St Paul preached to as many as 24,000 people.  During our last visit to Ephesus, this theater was closed for restoration, so Jessie and I were both very pleased to be able to go and experience it this time around. The acoustics are amazing!

Another interesting experience this time was the Terrace Houses, which were not open to the public during our last trip.  These displayed ancient living spaces which were still intact with pictures on the walls, beautifully tiled mosaic floors, amazing architecture etc. 

When we were planning our trip to Ephesus, Jessie and I knew there were many cats.  We knew Hildy would get a kick out of bonding with the cats, so we picked up a package of cat treats to bring along with us.  We gave these to Hildy who gladly spread the love with the feline friends.  The cats would follow her around and meow for more.  She became quite the popular VIP in Ephesus, at least with the cats.

At one point, all of the people in our tour were watching Hildy feed the cats, and the tour guide got frustrated because no one was listening to her.  She had to interrupt the group in order to regain their attention.  It was totally worth it to see the immense joy Hildy got from feeding the “poor little things”.  She was convinced that they weren’t cared for and were starving and thirsty, even though we saw various places where cat food was laid out for them.  It was evident that the cats were taken care of, but Hildy still believed otherwise. 

Following our time in Ephesus, our guide showed us St. John’s Basilica, which was quite beautiful from the outside, but is falling apart on the inside.  Our guide informed us that many of the building materials have been ‘recycled’ over the centuries from Ephesus to the basilicas etc.  This is why the ruins have only partial materials remaining. 

Our last stop was a bit of a tourist trap.  We ended up at a leather factory where we were ‘treated’ to a fashion show.  This was my first fashion show to date and I was surprised to see how seriously and ferociously the models walked down the runway.  This was a private fashion show so I thought the whole affair would be laid back, but it seemed to have a very professional aura. 

Afterwards, all of the guests were invited into the warehouse to see and buy the merchandise.  The products were beautiful and extremely high quality, but also had extremely high price tags.  Hildy made the mistake of admiring a nice beige jacket and soon she had a sales manager beside her urging her to try it on.  The jacket’s price tag had a listed price of $1,600 USD, but this manager generously informed Hildy that she could have it for only $800… what a deal!  I couldn’t tell whether she actually wanted the jacket or not, but eventually she told me in German that she didn’t know how to get out of the sale.  The manager was quite determined, but in the end, Hildy did not end up taking the jacket. 

Soon we were on the bus back into Kusadasi.  We had several hours left before the ship left port, and so we decided to check out the Grand Bazaar.  Hildy had never experienced this type of market before and was eager to see what it was all about.  This only lasted for about five minutes.

When we arrived at the Bazaar, we were surrounded by male store owners ushering us into their stores and hounding us for sales at a ‘special price, just for you!’.  Hildy was soon overwhelmed and exclaimed “Get me out of here!”  The event was short lived, and Hildy never wants to return to a bazaar in Turkey. 

We came back onto the ship and were all relieved to have the comforts of home once again.  We had a nice dinner with our lovely waiters Tito and Purna and then went to see a fantastic show at the Mainstage.  We are all very impressed with the entertainment programs on this ship; they’ve been the best I’ve seen so far.