Greece & Turkey

We just finished up our Greek Isles cruise!  It was fun but we will only be going back there once more while I am still onboard.  It repeated Civitavecchia and Naples ports from the Mediterranean  cruise, but the rest were new to me.  We hit two Greek Islands: Santorini and Mykonos and then did Athens.  We also stopped in Kusadasi, Turkey which is the port to reach Ephusus and the island of Malta.  I thoroughly enjoyed the two Greek islands the most because we had fun beach days.

Let me start by explaining why Athens was a bit disappointing.  I went on a shore excursion to the Acropolis.  History bores me so much that I fell asleep on the bus ride there while the tour guide was talking, and it’s only a short ride.  Some tour escort I am.  We made a silly picture stop at the Panathinion Stadium (built in 1895), which was the site of the first modern Olympics held in 1896. We continued a small bus tour around Athens to get to the Acropolis, which was absolutely mobbed.  It was an insanely hot day and I had lost my sunglasses at the beach the day before.  Let’s just say I wasn’t exactly prepared for the glaring sun of Athens that day.  We have a long line to get to the Acropolis but at least my ticket was free from being on tour!  And just before the entrance you get a glimpse of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus- a stone theatre structure located on the slope of the Acropolis.  It was built in 161 AD and was a really cool looking venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000.  

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Erechtheion temple

When we finally get in to the Acropolis there are so many people climbing over the slippery stones (and old people nearly falling) that you can hardly move nor can you take a decent photo.  Not to mention that just about everything there has scaffolding on it, which essentially ruins the picture for me.  I did like Erechtheion temple.  Needless to say next Athens I plan on spending the day at the National Archeological Museum.  I can nerd out on museums all day.  And I can also say for sure that one time to the Acropolis was enough for me. 

Santorini!!!!  Cool city built on an island made by a volcano.  It's actually up quite high on this lava formed island and our boat tenders to it.  Once we get there you have two options of getting up to the city.  Option 1 is a cable car.  Option 2 is a donkey ride.  Of course being the animal lover that I am refused to get on a poor tiny donkey and talked my friends out of it as well.  It's animal cruelty carrying those oversized (anyone not a child) cruise passengers up and down this steep slope.  You can also walk up the donkey trail and not pay for the ride but I hear the donkeys are not very friendly and it's full of poop.  Cable car it is.  

Beautiful view from the top of Santorini with my friend Andrew.

We have a short amount of time on the island due to the long transportation back and forth from the ship. But we did make it out to a black sand beach for a few hours and it was glorious.

Cool ship that was leaving from the port where our tender boats were docked.  Notice our giant cruise ship in the background.  Shockingly enough we were the only large ship there that day.  If that was not a crowded day in the small hilltop city of Santorini I don't want to know what is.

Kusadasi, Turkey!!!  A glimpse of some snacks.  Kusadasi is just a small tourist town and so we walked the streets and found some food.  But most importantly we we looking for a hookah bar.  We tried a peach tobacco and also a cappuccino tobacco which was by far the best I had ever had.  We hung out in this outdoor hookah restaurant for hours and entertained the small kitten who made himself very comfortable for an afternoon nap.

Mykonos, Greece also rocks my world.  This was by far my favorite port on the Greek Isle cruise itinerary.  We had an epic beach day planned where we rented ATVs and roamed this cool island that reminded me a lot of Anza Borrego but near the water.  My friends and I had plans to meet at Paradise Beach for another glorious day of swimming.  The ATVs were so incredibly worth it and a great way to see the island.  Many many tourists rent them as well as motor bikes.  Highly recommended, those I refused to drive one I opted to be a passenger.  Don't worry mom I wore my helmet.  

View from the ride!

The A Capella boys Alex and Riley kickin it in the shade while we are at the beach.  The water was lovely and warm.  And the beaches are full of restaurants so as long as you buy a drink you get a lounge chair.

I swear I work sometimes....