Mykonos

 Well, our time at sea is coming to an end - which is probably good, Momma is tired!

Today, we docked in Mykonos. Fourteen years ago, we tried to get here - but the waves were too large for the small ferry from Naxos and the captain said "yea, not today." There went our trip over.

Alas, we're back today with kids who are waning from the "pile of rocks on a hill." This time, I tempted them with windmills on a hill. And, that it was part of their Dutchness to look at windmills in Greece.

We got beat out by another cruise ship, so we had to dock out in the harbor. This turned out to be a great oops - the tender ferries took us right into the Old Port - and we didn't have to buy tickets or take the long walk from the New Port. Yay for coming in second!

We wandered through the streets for a moment knowing that the windmills "were kinda that way...." and through the path of three restaurants smashed right up to the water's edge, we found them!

It was windy and sunny and simple to achieve - and then the kids were done. So - we tossed them back on the cruise ship for more ice cream and pizza - and mom and dad stayed on shore for an extra hour to eat some saganaki (fried cheese) and have a beer overlooking the harbor and the bustle that comes with it. 

We didn't do much - and this is one of the islands we'll be back to in the future, so I wasn't too concerned that I was missing out. The hope for Hubs is that we can join his parents in Greece next summer (like we originally planned in 2020 - thanks, Covid). The island house is on Naxos and we'll have more time to find a captain who will take us back - and we'll side trip to Delos. Another pile of rocks on a hill. 

But they will suck it up and they will like it. 

Or I'll ground them! HA!

Alas,  we're off to Athens in the morning - one more hike. One more pile of rocks. 

WE CAN DO IT!

Kusadasi & Ephesus, Turkey

 Alrighty - we have another big one - one of the two stops on the itinerary that really sang to Hubs and me: Ephesus.

I love the book of Ephesians in the Bible - I can't believe that I could give the opportunity to my children to walk on the same streets as those who have come before - and to see the very first types of icthus icons engraved into the marble all these thousands of years later.

I. N. C. R. E. D. I. B. L. E.

We arrive at the "new" port city of Kusadasi. It's slammed into the mountainside, just like much of the eastern Mediterranean. There is a large statue of a man on the hill - we come to later find out is OttoTurk - and he's quite the revered fellow.

We see Turkish flags and dancing Turks upon walking up the pier - but for the most part, it looks like every other port town we've seen. Ships, cargo, people, water...repeat.

We board a bus with an amazing tour guide. She's a civil engineer up in Izmir (Smyrna), and she does this for fun. She's about 60 - knows everything  and is quite the congenial lady. Her name is Roza and she refers to us all as her rosebuds as we wander through her tour.

The bus heads up the coast and turns inland. Roza explains that Ephesus used to be the port 2,000 years ago. However, silt from the mountains came down the river and began to settle - causing challenges for incoming ships. The silt created marshland...which brought in mosquitos and malaria...and Ephesus was abandoned.

We overshoot the entrance by about 1/2 mile and turn up towards the top of the city. I sigh with relief...we'll walk downhill, not up.

Hallelujah.

We disembark, rosebuds following like ducklings through a maze of bus after bus of tourists.

We all get headphones - save a little snafu of them not working for KK - we figure things out and start the journey downhill.

Like Pompeii, people 2,000 years ago were wildly intelligent to create cities to last. There is so much marble....and only 10% has been excavated. It's shocking to know that while we see the remnants of a gorgeous home on one side of the street -we see only grassy hills on the other. They've yet to get to that part. 

We find the bath house - and the rows of toilets - perched 25 feet up above a channel so that the matter drained far below.

We find homes and shops...and the iconic library. Which has an underground tunnel to the bordello across the street.

We see a sarcophagus - probably the creator of the building to our left - and she recalls the day they found it. She was there 20 years ago when they first saw the lid - opened it - and found the jewels he had been interred with.

IMPRESSIVE!

We see columns - Doric, Grecian and Roman. There are statues and more marble....and rocks...and more marble - and then a stadium that seats thousands. It's so impressive - and I'm so sad that I have no energy to go climb it. KK does - and she and Hubs go explore while Bubs finds a theater production of Gladiators battling and Dancers swaying. 

The long pine grove to the WC is found by the momma...under a Turkish flag. They love their flag and their Otto friend.

We exit through the shops - the vendors are pushier than KK and I would like. But Momma has done this schtick before and I offer a smile, a hand wave and a firm "no thank you." Most oblige, some try harder - and we walk to the the row of busses to find #26. One last push to sell me silk bookmarks for a euro. We're stuck trying to get on the bus to hand in our headsets - not entirely sure if this isn't coordinated - and one more vendor says "3 for 2!!" With one final "no" - he grumbles at me and walks away.

We take the bus back into the city - and arrive at our carpet weaving demonstration. 

But wasn't it supposed to be leather goods?

And we're told that we'll see the presentation and they will want to sell us rugs. We should "ask for their best price." 

Hubs isn't amused. The children aren't either. This is a little suspect.

I insist we can leave whenever, but I'd like to see a $10,000 rug. So they oblige and we're sent to the upper room for a demonstration and so.many.rugs. 

At least they offer treats and wine while we listen.

Hubs doesn't like they are hovering behind us in front of the doors. He's growing irritable. 

When it's time to get up and touch and feel, I simply march us to our guide, thank her for her time and state that our children are tired and need to go. She's fine - the vendors want to show us jewelry (which I would love - but would never buy) but we leave. The kids are happy to be out and back to the ship...because, wait for it....ice cream and pizza.

But we all got what we wanted...history, architecture...and respite from the heat.

Another huge win.

I probably won't ever be back. Too many other places to go - but wow, this was worth it.

Santorini

 After the strain on my body of Pompeii - and then a little less strain at Ortygia - I got a day at sea. This translates to books, games, trivia and sunshine. The pool was slammed, the kids weren't interested - and I don't blame them. So we let the day float on by with relaxation no matter what that looked like to the individual.

Read: technology, pizza and ice cream.

Knock your socks off, kids!

Our next stop was Santorini - the last time I was there was 2008 and I still recall my hilarious response to "no bus...take taxi" schtick at the top of the hill before the ferry left.

This time, we arrived with knowledge - and a plan: be prepared!

Having been there before and not investing in the bus or ferry to the wine or romance part of the island - we took the cable car up to the top of the caldera. We wandered the streets - we bribed children with Sprite and treats - and then they promptly pooped out. 

Pass no judgement - we called an audible - and Hubs took the kids back to the ship. 

We, however, weren't done. We wanted "the best gyro ever" which we found in 2008 - and we wanted a peaceful view from the top.

I found the exact restaurant where we had met my aunt and uncle (also in Santorini that day, in on a cruise) - and I snagged a prime spot overlook the water. I found wifi, I video chatted with my mom at 5:30am local, I caught up on emails - and had a glass of wine in honor and memory of my aunt. It was lovely.

Cary took the kids down the caldera via the Donkey Path - a series of switchbacks and 575 steps. In the sun. With the donkeys.

We left the kids on the ship - and he returned to find that gyro he wanted so badly. We wandered - we chatted - we admired the beauty - and then wanted some good ol' AC and a pool.

So we started the trek down the hill, once again, to get back to the boat.

Let's just say my calf muscles screamed at me for three days. 

But to say I did the "Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants" donkey path was totally worth it.

We're off to Turkey tomorrow - the other of the two "must see" spots - so it's time to rest up!

Syracuse/Ortygia, Sicily

Greetings from Sicily! We're on the lower portion, south of the Straits of Messina, and hanging out in a lovely harbor for the day.

I did over do it yesterday. This was to be expected, it was Pompeii - and it was something I wasn't going to miss. So today - I need to take it easy. Fortunately, it's a little section of town, not a lot to see per se, and something we can cover quickly. The kids are tapped out with history, so a little quick shot into the town will be fine.

We dock - we make our way off the ship and through the streets of Syracuse. We find the bridge up and over a little canal that connects us to the island of Ortygia where there is an ancient temple of Apollo. 

Beyond that - I need to find a WC - which I do - and escape finding the lady who would charge me. Woohoo! I'm wiped by this point and take the kids back to the ship for ice cream and pizza...and a book on the deck for me.

 Hubs makes his way out to the fort, through more streets and gets a few minutes by himself - I'm so happy for him! 

The evening is dinner as a family - perhaps some live music - a movie on deck - a sunset over the Med and a big sigh. It was a good day!