What does one do when you are on a cruise, have arrived at a new port, and there is torrential rain? I decided it would be the same as a day at sea and used it to enjoy the amenities on board. As it turns out all but one excursion was canceled because of the weather. One of the great … Read More
Corfu, Greece
Think I’m going to need to buy a new laptop when I get home. Mine is misbehaving badly. It’s seven years old, so I guess it is just tired. But onto Corfu. I visited here about fifteen years ago and remember it as beautiful. It remains so, but in the intervening years it has lost some of its charm as … Read More
Athens – Day 2, Aboard the Oceania Marina
Last night we had dinner at a wonderful fish restaurant. The taxi ride took forever, even though the hotel concierge said it was close. Between one way, extremely narrow streets, and heavy traffic we probably could have walked there faster. But, I was happy to have a tour without needing to walk. The bars and restaurants were hopping, Athens is … Read More
Athens – Day 1
I just arrived in Athens this morning. With my friend Sue, we’re taking a cruise through the Mediterranean to Barcelona. We’ll be stopping in several places I’ve never been to before, including Tunisia and Malta. Considering that just over two weeks ago I had back surgery, this is nothing short of a miracle. But my doctor said it wouldn’t be … Read More
Athens, Greece – Day 2
The first time I visited Athens, in 1996, the Parthenon thrilled me, as did the Plaka, the statuary, and the overall vibe. The next time I visited, my enthusiasm had waned. Athens looked dirty, was hotter than hell on a bad day, the sky had a brownish tinge from pollution, and there were too many rude tourists. I love the … Read More
On Board the Oceania Vista
Early this afternoon I arrived at the port of Piraeus (Greece) to board the Oceania Vista. The size of the ship surprised me, though it shouldn’t have. My stateroom is on the tenth deck and there are six decks above me. The ship can accommodate 1,200 passengers. The ship is just over one year old and compared to other new … Read More
Santorini
Last night I slept better than I have in many nights—the gentle sound of the ship’s engines lulled me deep into dreamland. When I woke, we’d dropped anchor in Santorini, part of the Cycladic group of Greek islands. Santorini is a beautiful island. Well, it used to be a single island, now it is a semi-circle of islands. They were … Read More