Happy Holidays!

It's New Year's Eve as I write this so I thought it would be appropriate to post some ship board holiday photos even though they are chronologically out of order.  Here goes and:

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

At Last, Athens

More Athens photos can be found by clicking on this link.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked Athens.  I guess reading about their deep economic problems led me to believe that things would look really bad, but it is a beautiful, vibrant city.  There is a terrible unemployment problem here and the Greeks are really in a malaise.  Though they speak openly about how bad things have gotten, I detect a real strength and dignity among the people we met.

The shopping district was really nice

It's beautiful here!  Nice apartments, cafe dining, pedestrian malls.
Not bad for late November.

Lot's of orange trees around the city

They do have that most European of problems though; graffiti.  We've seen way too much of it and it's particularly bad here.  Venice too.  Man, I hate graffiti.  It makes a city look run down. I'm pleased it has improved so much in New York since the 70's, but I am surprised to see how prevalent it is here in Europe.  Maybe that's the indicator of a restive, unemployed population.

Meanwhile, the Acropolis  and the Acropolis museum were great.  The museum is state of the art and beautifully designed.  We had a great lunch there where we finally got some internet service.  

Side note: This is where I was notified that the sim card purchased in London had run out of money. What a bust that was!  For 30 pounds sterling (about $50) I got terrible service and after one week my allotment is already spent!  But they want me to “top up” and buy more service?  Fat chance.  So it looks like we'll be out of contact with the world except when we can get some internet service.  

Anyway, back to our Athenian visit.  So many of the important pieces from the Acropolis are preserved in the museum.  Except those that were spirited away by Lord Elgin for the British Museum.  And except what was destroyed by the Turks centuries ago.  Let me say this:  the Greeks are pissed!  And in the written explanations at the museum, the Greek's bitterness shines through.  They are clearly not happy about the desecration of the Acropolis by the Ottomans in the 15th century or about what they lost as a result.  I mean, these grudges never end.
It is a fascinating place nonetheless and crammed with antiquities.  It's amazing to read and hear of dates that all begin with B.C.  I mean this place is old what with these famous buildings being built in the 5th century BC.

Here's a model of the Parthenon as it was 400 BC

And here's the Erechtheion, the important temple
located next to the Parthenon.

Acropolis from Acropolis Museum

And here are photos of the actual Acropolis as it looks today, located right up the hill from the museum.  Notice the Parthenon and Erechtheion before (in the museum) and after (today).

The Parthenon

More Parthenon

Erechtheion

This is the Erechtheion, the temple dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon.  It's adjacent to the Parthenon and it seems to be the most important site at the Acropolis.  The Porch of the Caryatids is considered very important.  So much so that what is seen on site today is a reproduction as the originals were moved to the museum.  An impressive work of sculpture 2,400 years old.

The Porch of the Caryatids (Maidens) at Erechtheion

Theater of Dionysus
Accommodated 17, 000 spectators!  Greek theater was invented here.

Theater seats

Camouflage dog.  Even his tags match the flower colors

Acropolis rubble

Athens from the Acropolis

Another view of Athens

Notice how repairs are made.  The white in the photo is new marble specially fitted to replace what has been lost or damaged.  The repair looks seamless.

Restoration in the Parthenon is ongoing

So long Acropolis!

See you next in Turkey!

Departing Venice, A Day At Sea and Random Facts

Today we depart Venice and begin our cruise.  Here's our goodbye to a great and beautiful city.  The ship travels right along the coast of the island and all the great sights of the city are there for us to enjoy.

Some assistance from a tug

Oh, boy.  Look familiar?  It's the Costa Magica, the sister ship of the fated Costa Concordia, the ship that sunk off the island on the western Italian coast last year.  Later in the cruise we'll sail by that island.  At night.  Spoiler alert: we have a better outcome.

We sail by the neighborhood where we stayed

This church was right down the "block" from us

Pisa doesn't have a monopoly on leaning towers

The busy Grand Canal

Our first day out of Venice is a day at sea.  This is when we all roam around the ship, trying out all the restaurants, all 3,500 passengers go to the gym, and we cap off the day with Dress Up Night!  Yes, all our fellow geezers have brought their gowns and tuxedos and everyone is lining up to have their portrait taken!  Yay!  The four of us are completely out of place dressing "casual" so we are relegated to buffet dining tonight.  I think the crew mistakes us for steerage passengers.  I refuse the tuxedo since I've worn a tux more than every other male passenger on the ship combined, so that's out of my system.  Beside, have I mentioned that I'm retired?  And Ted, well, I guess there's a reason we've been friends for 40 years.  He's also having none of it.  And we married well because our wives could care less.   Thanks ladies.  That's the thing about aging, we've done dress up enough; but I am surprised at how the rest of the passengers are really into it.

Goodbye St Mark's!

Bye again!

And goodbye Venice

The other activity for me to do now is to sit and write, but I don't have too much so I'll leave you with some Random Facts!  

1. Our rooms are spacious with 2 tv's, a large sofa and chair and a deck which connects to Ted and Nan's deck.  
   
2. We have a bathtub!  
3. I can totally unpack my suiter in 20 seconds! 
4. We get Fox News and MSNBC on the tv.  
5. I glimpsed Croatia in the distance today as we steam down the Adriatic Sea.  

   

   Alright, you'll have to squint a bit.  I know it's a reach but I was excited....

6. The music on board is pretty weak so far.  We are stuck in the 70's and the worst of the 70's at that.  Even the classical guitarist begins with Pachabel Canon.  John Denver, Niel Sedaka.  Good god, give me a break! 
7. The Cruise Director does standup and he's hysterical!  Also Australian.  
8. The dining rooms feel like slightly updated versions of the old Concord Hotel in the Catskills (not sure if anyone will get that reference).  That depresses me a bit but the food is certainly better.  
9. The hot tub was only mildly warm, but I met a nice couple there.  They were from Las Vegas and he mentioned that he was retired.  I don't think he's out of his 40's yet and his wife might be in her late 30's.  I don't know what business he was in but they're certainly living the good life now.  They do a lot of cruising.
10. I'm feeling a bit intimidated with Greece and Turkey coming up.  I'm really cognizant that I might look a bit out of place there.  Ya think?  I figure they'll play me for an American sucker when we shop, especially in the Grand Bazaar.  One is expected to bargain in the shops and I’m pretty weak at that.  
11. We'll be having breakfast brought to our deck tomorrow!  Still celebrating Nancy's birthday!  
12. We move ahead another hour tomorrow.  That makes 7 hours time difference from home.  A first for me.
13. Our trip so far from Iceland, to London, Paris, Venice and now Athens is pretty much a straight line on the map from northwest to southeast.

Tomorrow morning we awake in Athens!

All aboard ship and off to Athens!

Okay!  We're back home and happy to be here. This was literally the longest trip of my life, trip of a lifetime they say, and with so many stops and places visited, I thought I should not only document our travels photographically but include brief stories of remembrance and learning as well.  Hence this travelogue which I added to nearly daily of the trip but have not posted in weeks, because once our cruise began I had no access to the internet.  So, I'll review what I've wrote along the way and post bit by bit.  I do this for me, to aid in reliving and enjoying a great trip, but I hope friends and family find something to enjoy as well.  Read on!  I hope this might bring a smile to your face or peak your interest about a place you'd like to visit.  Whatever, best wishes to all and let's pick up the story on the morning when we awake in Venice to board the Ruby Princess........

November 16

Today was getaway day aboard the Ruby Princess with tomorrow being a day at sea before we arrive at our first port, Athens.  Yesterday was embarkation aboard ship.  We woke at our apartment and had a morning stroll around the neighborhood which was really beautiful.  

We stayed on the third floor of this building.  Very nice place!

Sunday morning the church bells ring out even more than normally and they ring out a lot here.   Something that doesn't translate in photos are the wonderful sounds of this city.

I got detached from our little group for the second time on the trip and used the opportunity to do some solo exploring which was fun.  I think everyone is getting frustrated with my being so pokey, though.  I can't stop taking photos though!  Turns out I took more than 2400 on the trip so this is a tiny fraction!

I loved the way the water reflected the buildings.  Venice has a reputation for dirty water but we found the opposite to be the case.  It's surprisingly clean and clear.

More reflections

Must have been wash day.  I saw this scene a lot and loved how colorful it was

 The ship is really nice and Maggie, I think this is a sister ship to our Alaskan ship.  It sure seems very familiar.  Remember how we would leave our cabin, stroll through the art gallery, pass the goodies and the coffee bar on the right and go straight to the dining room on level 5?  Yep.  Same on this ship.  It is huge, but after our spring trip aboard the Breakaway it seems quite cozy.

Our Stateroom

Self portrait

 As I suspected, there are lots of seniors on this trip and we are some of them!  Everyone is nice and very friendly;  I've really enjoyed meeting so many new people.  Mostly Americans, I think, which is a bit of a surprise.  I thought we'd see many more Europeans.  Anyway, English is the language of the ship, dollars is the currency and the electric outlets are American too.  I feel like I'm home on the Great Lakes.  

 The ship is really isolating what with no internet and all.  I'm expecting that to be a good thing, but I think it might backfire by enforcing isolation.  Not sure I'll enjoy that.  Really feeling disconnected.

But we are getting to see parts of the word I never thought I'd get to, and it is kind of overwhelming.  As mentioned, we'll be in Athens on Wednesday and Turkey after that.  We've attended lectures regarding our destinations and 


I'm amazed at how little I really know.  Lot's of biblical connections here as Paul, the apostle, was from Corinth which we'll be near and Mary, the mother of Jesus, is from where we are going in Turkey.  Also, John, the apostle.  So I'm getting to see the connection between the Christian and Muslim worlds.

Tonight we stay in port in Venice and then we shove off first thing in the morning on our way to a full day at sea before our first port.  Next up: Athens.