Day 14 - Santorini

Woke up to the most amazing view ever, quick trip to the mini mart for supplies and we cooked breakfast and ate it on our balcony taking in the beautiful sights. Santorini and the mystic caldera are unique. The clear blue sky and blue sea are an amazing vision with the white buildings on the cliff face is like seeing snow on a mountain.

We kept an eye on the Grand Final scores during breakfast via the AFL iPhone App and I must say I was disappointed Freo didn't win but good on Hawthorne. All this beauty around me and unfortunately I am feeling a bit off today, headache and just can't seem to stay awake so Noel headed off with Donna and Mark walking towards Oia while I took some panadol and rested in the room. Noel decided after about an hour to come back, Donna and Mark continued on and got a bus the rest of the way.

Noel met me for lunch were we enjoyed moussaka baked in clay pots overlooking the caldera. We then spent the afternoon at the pool in the villas next door, the water was very cold but felt great when you got out in the warm sunshine. Very relaxing afternoon taking in the view is just what I needed to recharge the batteries. Donna and Mark joined us by the pool when they returned from their adventure to Oia.

We walked into Thira for dinner after watching the sunset and had traditional Greek with local wine and sensational views.

Day 13 - Athens to Santornini

5.45am wakeup call for breakfast before we disembarked. Anne our Tour Director was very organised and the whole process went smoothly. We arrived at the hotel and lucky there was two rooms for us so we could sort our the suitcases and head to the Post Office to send some gear home. This was along process but finally we got it done and headed back to the hotel.

 Back at the hotel, Noel went for a swim and I repacked the suitcase, much easier now with the extra room. We had lunch in the park by the hotel, another perfect day weather wise then chilled out in the room before our airport transfer later in the afternoon.

Got to the airport early, they must have thought we had an international flight so we had two hours to kill, lucky they have lots of shops to browse. I used the massage chair whilst the other read books and watched the people go by. Our flight was delayed about thirty minutes but finally we were on our way.

Our rooms are stunning, the views amazing. Dora gave us a run down of things to do, places to eat and general info, I could get very used to this place.

After a late dinner we hit the sack and hope to get a sleep in for a change. J&N

Day 12 - Cruise - Crete to Santorini

This morning we woke up in Crete after a great night celebrating my 50th. Anne our tour director arrange dinner in the special dinning room with the group which was really nice. The band came around and sang happy birthday and also blew the candle on the cake Noel had arranged. After dinner we headed to the Sky Bar were we ran into Helen and Lloyd we had dinner with the other night. Lloyd celebrated his 60the the day before.
 

In Crete Noel and I did the tour up-to the Palace of Knossos which was very impressive Minoan city and very well preserved.   The palace is multi story and covers a massive area, definitely worth seeing. They had toilets with running water, bathrooms, ceramic pipes which was a very impressive plumping system.

The palace of Knossos was the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture. It appears as a maze of workrooms, living spaces, and storerooms close to a central square. It gives an approximate graphic view of some aspects of Cretan life in the Bronze Age.

We set sail again and headed for Santorini just before lunch. I had a hot stone massage after lunch as a birthday treat, the spa on the ship gave me a 25% discount for a birthdays present. I think my legs appreciated it the most after all the stairs we have been climbing.

We finally arrived in Santorini and caught the cable car to the top. Waiting to get the tender boat we were behind some Spanish passengers who were letting all their friends push in the line knocking some elderly passengers in the process. We said something as it was about ten of them and they decided to abuse us. The biggest insult they could give was 'you live on an island' why that was and insult I don't know. We decided to let it go as it just wasn't worth it but some other Aussie later said good on us as they were just arrogant and rude.

We walked along the paths at the top of the cliff taking in the stunning view over the caldera. We stopped for an expensive coffee and saw a wedding going on in a hotel further down the cliff. After a. It of a wander around the shops we had one more drink waiting for the sunset. We headed back to the ship, Noel and I took the cable car but Mark didn't like it so they took the donkey path back to the dock.
 

After dinner we had to pack our bags and have them out for collection by 11pm.  Early start at we disembark at 7.00am.

We have enjoyed the cruise even though you don't get much rest especially when you visit two ports in one day so we are looking forward to relaxing on Santorini the next three days.

Chow for now J&N

Day 11 - Cruise - Rhodes

Today started with a private champagne breakfast which was very nice for my 50th Birthday. After breakfast we headed into the city and got a taxi who gave us a tour of the city. The old city is medieval and is the largest of the Dodecanese islands and the fourth largest Greek island. Rhodes is also know as the islands of roses.

After a visit another the temple of Apollo, how many temples does Apollo have? We also saw the stadium and our driver took us to the top of the hill for the most magnificent view of the city. After the tour we visited the Palace of the Grand Master which has the most fantastic mosaics. The palace is built at the highest point of the medieval city. It was a strong structure indissolubly linked with the fortifications and played an active role in the defence of the city.

We did a harbour cruise which was really nice and gave magnificent views of the old city. The cruise took us through the entrance of the harbour where the famous landmark The Colossus of Rhodes one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. The Colossus was cast in bronze and is believed to have stood at the entrance until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 225BC.

We had lunch in the city, another delicious gyros then walked back to the ship through the old city to the ship. When we returned the crew had decorated our cabin with streamers and balloons which was very sweet. We had to surrender Noels sword he purchased before we could get on the ship, they will give it back when we dock in Athens.

Tonight Insight Travel have organised a dinner for my birthday so that should be good.

50 but feeling 40, J&N

Day 10 - Cruise - Kusadasi to Patmos

We pulled in to Kusadasi this morning whilst it was still dark so with the fort light up it was a spectacular sight. As we are doing Ephesus during our Turkey tour Noel and I decided to sleep in and do a tour of the town ourselves whilst Mark and Donna thought they would still go out to the ancient city. Kusadasi is a popular tourist town 90km south of Izmir. It is famous for its long sandy beaches on the adjoining coasts. It is a lively harbour port with a bazaar selling leather, lamps and original copy handbags, t-shirts etc. we enjoyed our walk around the city before returning to the ship around 11.30.

 We had a group cocktail party to collect our excursion tickets then after lunch we all hung out at the pool for some sunshine on our way to Patmos.
 

 Patmos is a small island which is rocky and barren but is famous for the Monastery of St John the Theologian. It has been a place of pilgrimage ever since it was discovered that St John the Divine was said to have written the book of Revelations. Only 2500 people live on the island which relies on tourism. We did a tour of the cave called the Sacred Grotto. It is here that St John wrote the book of revelation that was sent unto the seven churches. We the did a walk through the upper village and visited the windmills. You were allowed to go inside and up the stairs to see the Cog working which was nifty. After a drive around the island we headed back to the port for a drink an wander before heading back in the tender boats to the ship.
 

After another huge dinner this time we shared with a couple from Pennsylvania Sue and Joe. We hit the sack as we have a big day ahead in Rhodes. Rhodes is 112 nautical miles away and we will sail there overnight. Still 49, J&N  

Day 9 - Crusie - Athens to Mykonos

Today we boarded the Louis Olympia Cruise ship and set sail around 11.00am. We headed strait for Mykonos which is 96 nautical miles from Athens. But before all that we had to do the mandatory Life Boat Drill. Our cabins are on deck six and not a bad size, the ship holds 1644 passengers and apparently it is full. The Louis Olympia is a small ship 215 m long with a cruising speed of 19knots. After the drill we met our tour director Anna to work out what shores excursions we wanted to do. We went down and organised our drinks package and had some lunch which we shared with a couple from Mildura Helen and Lloyd. After the buffet lunch we hung out at the pool for a hour and a half but it was so windy we headed back indoors for a while. The drinks package is great you get unlimited alcohol, coffee and ice cream for 19€ a day but you need to be careful, after a wine with lunch and three gins at the pool you could very easily get smashed before dinner. As it was so windy we got to Mykonos early where we disembarked via tender boats for a walking tour of the town to the windmills and Little Venice.

 This was really good and after the tour we had lots of free time to check out and wander the narrow streets of the town. Mykonos is only 10miles long and 7miles wide making it the smallest of the Cycladic Group. It is said to be the birth place of Apollo and his twin sister Artemis dating back as far as 900BC. B The white washed streets and cube houses with blue doors are stereotype of the islands.
 

We also got to see Petros the mascot pelican walking in front of the restaurants on the sea front. After a while we headed back to the ship for dinner we shared our table with another Aussie Cooke from Byron Bay Dennis and Heather. This time the dinner was al a carte but still they give you dips and Greek salad to start and you picked your main dish. Tooooooo much food, I have managed now to stop myself and just have a small taste otherwise the pants might not fit and we still have 3.5 weeks to go. Tonight we sail to Kusadasi in Turkey which is 96 nautical miles from Mykonos. So far none of use has felt sea sick, I don't chance it and keep topped up on Kwells. Until next time J&N

Day 8 - Kalambaka to Athens

Today is the first day we have had cool weather, it is also quite windy.  We visited the Monasteries of Meteora which are incredibly perched on top of very tall rock formations. The drive up to the monasteries is enchanting looking at the forest of huge rocks. The views from the road on the way up and from the top are mesmerising. We first visited the monastery of Varlaam which is dedicated to all Saints just in case they missed one. The monastery is built on a lofty rock 373m. The first monk Varlaam in 1350 built some cells and a church dedicated to the Three Hierarchs. The central church is the most impressive, cruciform, domed, four columned composite that is the Katolika of the monasteries on Mt Athos. It has a narthex, nave and sanctuary.

Second we visited the monastery of St Stephen. This is the monastery that over looks Kalambaka and  you can see from the town and our hotel. It has stood there for centuries and was built originally in 1192. The place was first inhabited before 1200 with a hermitage  of Jeremiah. In the 14th century it was coeobitic. In 1350 the church of St Stephen was built. In 1961 it was converted into a nunnery having been restored and is now in flourishing condition. We met the young Australian nun who originally comes from Perth. The katholikon is dedicated to St Charalambos with a cruciform domed church with three apes, four columns, narthex, credence table an sacristy.

We then began the five hour drive back to Athens stopping for lunch were we all had a fairly ordinary cheese pie, at least we can say we have had one. I watched a movie on the iPad along the way as the scenery isn't that exciting. On our land based part of our trip we have covered 1400km.

We are staying at the same hotel as we did in Athens when we arrived before our 9am start to board our cruise ship Louis Olympia. Tonight will consist of washing and blogging. The weather is warmer in Athens but it is still overcast, hopefully the sun is back tomorrow.

We may not have Wi-Fi on the cruise so cheers until probably Santorini on the 27th J&N