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
Architectural details
Anyone who has been following me has figured out that architectural details capture my attention. On my recent trip to Greece and Türkiye the details were stunning, and very different from what I’d just seen in Spain and Amsterdam. The shapes and sensibility harkened back to antiquity, though many of the places were built within the last hundred years. When … Read More