Cruising the Aegean Sea (7)

Big Trip, Big Boat
I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.         Mark Twain

Part of our excursion to Greece was a three day/four night cruise to some of the Greek Isles (May 25-28). We had never cruised before and didn't know what to expect. Our travel agent thought it would be a good idea to have some kind of a rest at the end of our 2.5 weeks. Rest!? No way. 

She set us up with Celestyal Cruise line that sails from Athens. A smaller ship than most, about 1300 passengers plus crew, but a big boat to us having never experienced a cruise. 

Ready to board

The Olympia

 We found our room, met our wonderful cabin steward and got our bearings. We had a porthole so we could see the shore and extremely blue water. 

We found a different animal sculpture each evening

We left around noon and first stop would be Mykonos, be there around 6 pm. If anyone is my age and remembers Hayley Mills movies, she made one called Moon Spinners (1968) taking place in Mykonos. Since seeing the movie I wanted to see the island. 

Mykonos (Island of the Wind)
We didn't have an organized tour set-up so we waited our turn to disembark after the very many tour groups. We were two of the few that traveled on our own. We walked off and rode a bus provided by the ship to be closer to the center of things. How magical. White buildings and colorful signs. We walked along the seawall passing several sidewalk cafes and cute little shops. Monty was taking several photos of course. 

Mykonos

I love the beautiful flowers everywhere. 

 Such a wonderful sight. 

Checking out a shoe shop

By the Sea, By the Sea

Found a windmill

All the streets and homes are so clean and white. The blue accents are so striking. 

Before returning to the ship, I dipped my feet into the Aegean. Thrilling.

             The approaching sunset was just magnificent. 

Ephesus (Kusadasi, Turkey)
Our next stop was listed as the island of Samos in our travel itinerary but that changed to Kusadasi, Turkey. How exciting! We are setting our feet on another continent plus seeing the iconic location where St. Paul and St. John walked.

Approaching Turkey

 Built in 10th Century BC by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. During the Classical Greek era it was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League. The city flourished after it came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC. The city was famed for the nearby Temple of Artemis, completed around 550 BC and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is one of the largest Roman archeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean. 

Temple of Hadrian 128 AD - main pediment

Temple of Hadrian - 2nd pediment

Sacred Way

Temple of Domitian

Trajen Fountain (Emp Trojan 97-117 AD)

Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation by the Apostle John. The Gospel of John may have been written here around 90-100 AD.  A legend, first mentioned in Epiphanius of Salamis in the 4th Century AD, purported that Mary (Christ's mother) may have spent her last years in Ephesus. Christ was to have asked John to take care of Mary after his death. We don't know specifically if Mary went with John to Ephesus. He later stated that she was buried in Jerusalem. 

Statue of the Virgin Mary

Since the 19th Century, the House of the Virgin Mary (4 mi from Selcuk) has been considered to have been the last home of Mary based on visions of Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich.  

From AD 52-54, the apostle Paul lived here working with the congregation and apparently organizing missionary activity into the hinterlands. Later Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians while in prison in Rome around 62 AD. 

The city was destroyed by the Goths in 263, and although rebuilt, the city's importance as a commercial center declined and the harbour was slowly taken over by the Kucuk Menders and Ephesus lost its access to the Aegean Sea. 

Odeon - The Great Theater

Remains of the State Altar

Shop facades

Goddess Nike relief

Celsius Library

 

The city was completely abandoned by the 15th Century. Archeological research began in 1863 and continues today with approximately 10 percent discovered. 

Curetes Street

Main attraction: Celsius Library

                                   

Medical Caduceus (Doctor office?)

Gate of Mazeus and Mithridates

Monument of Memmius

Mortar/Pestel (RX?)

Marble Road to Theater

Patmos

If you have read the Bible, you know that the Apostle John was imprisoned on Patmos because he would not stop preaching the gospel. The main attraction is the Cave of the Apocalypse where it is said that John was imprisoned and where he wrote Revelations. 

Climbing to the Cave

The cave is maintained by the Monastery of St John the Theologian and a working chapel so there are no photos allowed and total silence when you are in the cave. 

Cave Entrance

It is very small and you can see and touch where John laid his head. There is a huge rock covering the ceiling with a large crack that is said to be where God split the rock and thereby inspiring John to write Revelations. 

Ancient painting of John

Outer Room

Church of the Apocalypse (at top)

That blue everyone loves

I love these bell chimes

Our boat is waiting

  

Always time to shop

Santorini (we are on a volcano)

Another fantastic stop! We took a small motor boat to the shore and another bus ride. This time it is a must to get to the capital of Oia (pronounced E-ahh); about a 45 min serpentine drive to the top. We are arriving in late afternoon and it is a lovely town. This is a popular tourist location so it is crowded and busy with restaurants preparing for dinner. 

I love this stop because it is where the iconic blue roof churches dot the horizon. You need to be in a helicopter to get really good photos but we got a few. Such beautiful flowers in bloom and that blue that everyone in Greece loves to paint their door and or window. 

     

                   

A lovely end to a fabulously fun cruise

We are back to Athens in the morning and time to start thinking about our trip home. We are ecstatic we were able to make this trip but would so love to stay longer and keep going. I would go back to Scotland for another week or two; and the Venetian islands to visit more days there. Maybe we can return in two years or so but if not, I am grateful to have seen gone this year. As I have gotten older and watched my parents leave this mortal coil and my trip getting closer, my motto has become "Life is so very short". If you ever have the opportunity to travel (in your country or internationally) do it. Make the jump and go. I know it can be costly but you can't take it with you. 

The world is a big and magical place. Bon Voyage!