Circumnavigate The Globe in 123 days with Bill & Mary Ann - 2011 World Cruise

[Harmon Weston]

reading these reviews has me ready to go on anothe cruise. my next one is not until june of 2012, i am looking forward to it. My grandbaby will be turning 6 years old and it's her birthday present. I have only been on one cruise before it was a cruise to nowhere. it was fun, and i don't really count it as a real cruise. So I am looking to build up my cruising skills.

 

Harmon aka Pfunk

[WCB]

Report # 92 April 4, 2011 Monday Day at Sea

 

Last night, we left the Gulf of Aqaba, and eventually turned north to enter the Red Sea once again. We joined the ship traffic schemes at this point in the Gulf of Suez. When we reach the area about 2 miles before the Suez Canal entrance, we will drop anchor and spend the night. That should be around 5pm.

 

After yesterday's vigorous tour to Petra, we earned this lazy day at sea. It took most of the morning to unload the photos and delve into writing the reports for the day. The weather had cooled off considerably, much to our disappointment. But it was still warm enough to sit at the aft pool, but dressed in shorts and t-shirts, not swimsuits.

 

While we were out there, Captain Olav mentioned in his daily talk that we are officially out of the pirate danger zone. We will still have security watch until we leave Turkey, but not as visible as it has been for the last week. Bet our security staff is pleased about that decision.

 

There were talks given in the Queens Lounge, both morning and afternoon. Barbara H., who happens to have a birthday today, spoke all about Kusadasi, Turkey, and Revell Carr lectured on the creation of the Suez Canal from past to present. Exploration speaker Piotr Wesolowski continued his series on the famous Lawrence of Arabia. Was he a madman or a hero?

 

Something we noticed that was out of the ordinary was the fact that the ship was taking on drinking water, we assume, from special local water boats . The first one we saw was while we were docked in Safaga, Egypt. It has been obvious to us that the outside teak decks have not been hosed down every afternoon. Sand and dust has been building up on the decks and gutters, as well as on the windows of the ship. Now we wonder if there is a problem with the ship's desalination system. The first thing I noticed was when I filled the bathtub last night, the water had a golden color to it and some sandy sediment, a sure sign that we were using Egyptian water. Hmmm, better stick to bottled water for drinking for a while.

 

The big event was a special formal dinner this evening, featuring a 1001 Arabian Nights Theme. The dining room had been decorated with turquoise banners to resemble a tent. At each entrance to the dining room, real tents were set up to look like a bedouin camp, complete with lanterns and decorated seat pillows.

 

You would have liked seeing the outlandish costuming at the Crows Nest tonight. We were surrounded with many sheiks, the fellows dressed in long white robes and red & white checkered turbans on their heads, and the ladies dressed in tunics or be-coined scarves and beaded head dresses. It was quite a sight, especially when we hardly recognized our fellow passengers. What was even funnier was the couple dressed as a sheik and a burka-clad woman trying to do the tango. The two just did not jive, literally. This festive astmosphere did lead to brisk cocktail sales however. And that's the bottom line.

 

Today was also Ellen's birthday and a very special one at that. Her 6th grandbaby girl had been born right after midnight, making her birthday the same as grandma's. What a present for her. We also had two guests....Tom, our host, and another single gentleman by the name of Ron. Our meal was accompanied by the last of our free wine that had been promised for missing our Egyptian ports. On top of the wine, we were served Don Perinon champagne, no less. It did taste way better than the usual bubbly we have occassionally. And speaking of meals, we ordered the grilled lamb chops and the filet mignon. Both were equally delicious. We saved room for the birthday cake, which wasn't the one Ellen had requested, but a triple layer chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

 

Tomorrow should be an interesting and history-filled day as we transit the Suez Canal. I had another surprise when I went to take a shower before bed. The hot water had been turned off, because we were taking on more water while we were anchored. These things are never announced, but can happen at any time when you least expect it.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 93 April 5, 2011 Tuesday Suez Canal Transit

 

Captain Olav had to wait for the local pilot to enter the canal at Port Suez. We had to convoy with other ships since the canal is too narrow for two-way travel. Once we entered the Great Bitter Lake, we had to wait again to form a convoy with other ships that would be going the same direction as us. This happened around 10:30am.

 

A little bit of history is needed at this point. Even the pharoahs in the 13th century BC had the idea of digging a ditch from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The desert reclaimed it as fast as it was dug by slaves. They had no choice to abandon the project after the loss of 100,000 slaves. The actual start of this canal was begun in 1859 and completed in 1869. The total length is a bit over 101 miles, saving ships 7,350 miles sailing around the Cape of Africa to the Med. Up to 50 ships can transit the canal in about 15 hours. The toll for such a transit? Try the average of $205,600. There are no locks in this canal as there are in the Panama Canal. The final cost of construction was $100 million dollars, although 3 times that sum was spent on repairs and improvements.

 

Politics has played a huge roll in the operating of the canal. As recently as 1967, an Egyptian-Israeli conflict resulted in several vessels being deliberately sunk to block the shipping lanes. It did not open until 1975, when an international force was allowed to clear the debris. We can remember this event in the newspapers at that time.

 

The weather was nice and cool, with high clouds, looking like rain at some times during the transit. We stayed outside, going from the promenade deck to the bow of the ship for the best viewing and photo-taking. Life on the canal ranges from the old ways to the modern. All of the fishing boats were small and rowed by oars. It appeared to us that only nets could be used for fishing. Since no small vessels are allowed to transit the Suez Canal, only the larger cargo and freighter ships can convoy through it, one-way traffic only. About 25,000 ships pass through here in a year, consisting of 14% of world shipping.

 

The largest cities are Port Suez, Ismailia, and Port Said. In between these cities were sandbars lined with guard shacks and houses, complete with armed guards. One good thing was these guys were all waving and whistling as we sailed by. On the right side of the ship was the Sinai Peninsula, also belonging to Egypt, which was basically nothing but desert and sand....lots of sand. On the other side was the mainland of Egypt, with the cities and farms.

 

Speaking of farmland, the canal was lined with small farm plots for miles. It is irrigated land with water brought by smaller canals from the Nile River. On each plot of land was a farm house that may have animal shelters as well as peculiar-looking bird houses. We were puzzled by these teepee-style huts, until we looked closer at one of our photos. These huts had numerous holes drilled in the sides in a definite decorative pattern. On closer inspection, we could see pipes sticking out of the wall, creating perches for pigeons. We do know that in some arid countries, buildings like these are created to house the pigeons. The people then can access their eggs and young birds for a constant food source.

 

We exchanged pilots at Ismailia to continue our transit to the Mediterranean. It was near to 4:30pm when we exited into the Med at Port Said. Once there, the seas became rough and the temperatures dipped 10 degrees, just as we had expected.

 

The Amsterdam will continue sailing northward towards Israel, where we dock tomorrow at the city of Ashdod.

 

At dinner tonight, we found out that the Captain's dinner in the Pinnacle Grill went without officers. Something had happened in the interem that interrupted the dinner and sent all of the officers and Captain to the navigation deck. How disappointing to those who were looking forward to this special dinner. Wonder if they will make it up to those guests?

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 94 April 6, 2011 Wednesday Ashdod, Israel

 

If anyone would have told us that we would be coming to Israel on this world cruise, we would have said they were crazy. Who would have predicted the changes in the itinerary that would partially eliminate Egyptian ports, substitute an extra night in Dubai, and give us one day in Israel? Surely, not us.

 

Anyway, we are here in Ashdod today, arriving around 6am. First on the list of "must do things" was a mandatory Israeli immigrations inspection. Starting a 6:30am (yuck), we were called by groups starting with the number 5. We assumed that the passengers that had tours booked would be called first. No, we had been given # 7, and we were not going anywhere. For some unknown reason, we didn't seem to hear them calling the numbers, so we did not go for the inspection until after 8am. It was not a problem. Right inside the dining room on deck 5, we were handed our passports, then proceeded to walk through the Kings Room to see an Israeli inspector. They happened to be all ladies, who were swift and polite. Well, that is except for the few guests that gave them a bad time for getting them up so early. Those that complained, we heard later, were subjected to a long question and answer inspection. How dumb can these passengers be? You never mess with any immigration officer in any country. There was a group that was not allowed to leave the ship today, and that was every Indonesian crew member onboard. We don't know if it has something to do with the Indonesians being Muslims or not, but more so due to the fact there is not a good relationship with their governments.

 

After having a light breakfast in the dining room, we went to deck three to watch and see what was happening on the pier in regards to whether or not a shuttle would be available for those not joining organized tours. No one was allowed to walk to the port gate. You must take a taxi to get to the gate, which was within walking distance from the ship. Every person that attempted to leave, was turned around by port officials stationed by the containers that blocked the exit. Wow, we were being held "hostage" by the strong taxi union. A small group of passengers held their ground and demanded a shuttle at least to a duty free store nearby. Around 10am, a van arrived and did start taking people to this particular store. It seemed to be a 20 minute turnover before the van came back for more passengers. From what we understand, whatever was purchased at this store, it was kept by the shop and delivered to the ship later in the day. Guess this happens at other ports, but we have never noticed this before. Any other place people wished to go, had to be negotiated with the taxi drivers. We were told by friends that they paid $60. for a 3 hour drive through the city of Ashdod, with stops for shopping and lunch. Our friends did attempt to buy some items in a very new upscale shopping mall, but they did not have the local currency, and were not allowed to use US dollars. They saw no exchange booths anywhere, and failed to bring along a credit card, so they came back to the ship empty handed. They did say that the city was remarkably clean and modern, just not people-friendly.

 

There was nothing we needed to tour or buy, so we decided to stay on the ship for the day. We have been to the major sites in Israel while on the 2007 world cruise, and felt that we did not need to see the places again. However, we did try to book a short tour to Jaffa and Tel Aviv, but were put on a waitlist that went nowhere. Yes, we could have taken a taxi to Tel Aviv, but once again, we were not motivated to pursue it further.

 

It was a mostly sunny day, but it was obvious that it had rained before we docked here. The temperatures were in the high 60's, with big clouds floating by. It was nice enough to sit at the back pool for awhile in the morning. But there was a huge problem when the wind picked up. Being that we were docked right in the middle of a working container port, a large ship was off-loading something that resembled phosphate or a fertilizer product. The clouds of smelly dust coming from the trucks being loaded was repulsive. The deck crew had worked all morning cleaning windows and decks, to have it all covered with gritty dust hours later. We stopped to visit with Henk M, our friendly hotel manager, to ask what he knew of this substance. He did not know, but informed us that the aft pool had to be closed, since it was full of the stuff. He promised to find out what it was. Since we were not sure what this product was, we left the back deck and headed for lunch.

 

We had booked a table in the Pinnacle Grill for lunch for a change. The tower of lettuce and tomato salads and Pinnacle burgers were so good the last time we ate there, we ordered them again. Only the desserts changed. Bill had the panna cotta with orange and lemon twists, and I had the fresh strawberries with sorbet. Coffee finished our satisfying meal.

 

The afternoon was spent walking, watching movies, visiting with friends, and emailing reports. It was nice to have the spare time to accomplish this task. We do not like falling behind, since after two or more days, we tend to forget what we did and saw. We have been told that is a "geezer moment"!

 

About 80% of the passengers went on tour today, so we enjoyed having the ship to ourselves and a few of our friends we know well. Because these tours were very long ones, not many folks made it to dinner this evening. There were four of us, and it was nice. Joan had taken the tour we missed out on, and said we were lucky to have missed it. The descriptions of these tours are not always the way they turn out to be. More friends of ours told us that the tour of Jaffa was more like four bathroom stops. They saw little of the ancient city. Tel Aviv sounded like a drive-through town quickly. So see, we were better off to have stayed on the ship, even if we were fumigated by the noxious dust clouds of whatever that stuff was.

 

Sue and Laurie had taken a cab to Tel Aviv for the day, while Ellen, Barb, and Judi joined 9 others for a tour to Jerusalem. We did not expect to see them until tomorrow. Hope they all had a good time.

 

When we walked the promenade deck tonight, we were totally alone out there. Every square inch of this deck and the lounges were covered with gritty, smelly dust and dirt. Hope there is enough water to wash this grime away before tomorrow.

 

There was a local show in the Queens Lounge tonight starting at 9:30pm. We watched it on our TV, and found it to be better than most of the local acts that have been on the stage in previous ports. Students from the Ashdod Academy of Dance entertained the crowd with an energetic display of dance and song.

 

By 11pm, the ship left the port and headed towards Turkey, our next stop in two days from now.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[CtheW0rld]

re: US dollars. i'm surprised people on a world cruise do not understand US dollars are not accepted everwhere. pretty arrogant. i realize israel was an ad hoc port call, but why not take a credit/debit card? crazy.

 

spot on about immigration. most people do not understand how much power these officers wield. wow. never mess with them.

[WCB]

Report # 95 April 7, 2011 Thursday Day at Sea

 

After the Amsterdam left the port of Ashdod, we sailed into the Mediterranean Sea which led us to the track called Karpathou Strait. This strait lies between the island of Rhodes on the right and Karpathos on the left. At that point we entered the Aegean Sea, where we will sail in between many islands on our way to Turkey.

 

Most of the morning was cool and cloudy, so we were able to do a lot of walking. We need to be in shape for our tour to Ephesus in Turkey tomorrow, which will include a lot of stair climbing throughout the ruins. There were several talks going on this morning, so there were few people walking in the cold wind.

 

Those talks included one given by Barbara all about Athens, Greece. Later in the morning, Revell Carr spoke about Turkey and their underwater archaeology, specifically, sponge divers who made some remarkable finds.

 

There was a grand dollar redemption this afternoon, signaling the end of another segment, which will probably be in Athens. Another sign of that were the envelopes in our mailslots with our shipboard account amounts. The front desk people do give everyone a couple of days to reconcile their bills, and correct possible mistakes. In all of the cruises we have sailed with the HAL ships, we have had only one discrepancy.

 

Another fun Mongolian Cookout took place in the Lido pool area at 11:30am. The lines were still long when we passed by the set-up at 1:30pm. We've only tried this venue once, but found it was not our cup of tea. We're still stuck on our perfect sandwich made by our buddy in the Lido sandwich bar.

 

For a change, we decided to check out the upper deck located over the Crows Nest. It really is a large area filled with lounge chairs for sunbathing. There are two outdoor showers complete with shampoo and soap. It would also serve as a place to cool off in the hot sun being that there is no swimming pool here. There were two people enjoying the sun, which finally came out later in the day. We found a sheltered corner, and did the same thing. At least, in this area, you are so far forward that you do not have to worry about ashes from the ship's stacks. Sections of large panels of glass surround the whole deck here, so the wind is not a factor, especially laying low on the lounges. Great place to read or relax.

 

We were invited to a "suite cocktail party" with friends Leslie and Handler. They recently upgraded from deck 6 verandah room to a deck 7 mini-suite. The couple that had occupied that room had to go back home due to medical reasons, so Handler asked to be upgraded (for a price, we are sure). These rooms are spacious, with a sitting area large enough to seat eight of us. There were many sets of drawers and a real bar complete with all types of liquors. The best feature of this suite is the over-sized balcony which accommodated 2 lounge chairs, a cocktail table, and also a small dining table with chairs.

 

Martha and Bob and Birgit and Maurice were also there to enjoy the many treats of cheeses, goldfish crackers, and assorted nuts that Leslie had put out. The hour went by so fast, we had to run to dinner or be late. Of course, we had much fun with this group of old and new friends.

 

Dinner came with two surprises. One was the entree of the 22 ounce rib-eye steak, and the second was champagne served with our meal. With each special evening of complimentary wine we had, there was a card on each table with a little poem of explanation for the free wine. Tonight's card was a puzzle to all of us. It was worded to say if we have questions and don't get the answers, can we let it go? This may have a special meaning that we are not aware of. Anyway, it was ended with "Mazel Tov"! Whatever the reason, we all appreciated the gesture........and the delicious, juicy, tender steaks.

 

Looking forward to two full days in Kusadasi, Turkey.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 96 April 8, 2011 Friday Kusadasi, Turkey Day 1 Part 1

 

We arrived early in the morning to the port of Kusadasi, situated on the southwestern coast of Turkey. This city has always been the carpet and leather haven for tourists, but more importantly, it is the stop off point for excursions to some of the major historical sites in this deeply religious part of the world. One of them, the ancient ruins of the city of Ephesus, is our destination for today.

 

We booked this tour with our travel agency, and were sure glad that we did. Hundreds of HAL guests were also going there today, so we were glad to have been in a much smaller group. Tom escorted us today, and as usual, took good care of us. We had a great young guide, Mert, who was knowledgable and passionate about sharing everything he knew and loved about his country.

 

Our first stop was at the House of the Virgin Mary, a drive that took us from the seaside up the steep mountainside. Looking down into the fertile valley, we could see miles and miles of peach trees just beginning to bloom. The higher mountains were full of pines, eucalyptus, cedar, and olive trees. Sort of reminded us of Northern California. At the House of the Vigin Mary, we walked silently through the tiny reconstructed house that was believed to have been the last place Mary lived under the care of St. John. Even though this may or may not be the exact spot where she lived her final days, it is considered very sacred, because three popes have visited this monument in recent times. We remember visiting this site in 1997, and what impressed us then was the presence of armed guards. They were still there at the site, but more of them. No place is safe from terrorism nowadays. Sad, but true.

 

Our next stop was Ephesus, the ruins of a city that existed over 2000 years ago. Back in those days, the sea actually came to the bottom of the city. But due to silt buildup from several rivers, eventually the destroyed city was buried under it. In its primetime, this settlement had over 250,000 people, making it the second largest city in the Roman Empire, and the second largest city in the known world in the 1st century BC. Wars and earthquakes destroyed the city over the years. Excavation is still ongoing today.

 

We began the 2 hour walk, starting from the top of the mountain, working our way downhill all of the way. The first set of ruins were for the men only, which included The Palace of Council, the Baths, and the "restrooms". The city had running water, which was directed downhill through a series of brilliantly created fitted terracoa pipes built by the Romans.

 

Further down the marbled streets, were the shops, or the ancient "mall" for the ladies. Intricate designs made from tile were set in the floors in front of these stores. Many temples were erected along the hillsides and road, although these have been reconstructed somewhat.

 

Next we toured the newly opened, at least since we were here in 1997, Terrace Houses, located on the hillside near the library. These large three story houses belonged to wealthy Ephesians, it is believed, since they contained the best of what could be done in those days. The insides were lined with marbled walls, also being redone as we walked through. Frescoes and beautiful mosaics adorned the floors and walls. The climb up the steep metal stairs was vigorous, so much so, that many of our passengers chose not to attempt it. Those that did,but changed their minds, had to leave halfway through the walk with the help of Tom, who led them back down. Actually, once we left the top level, the hike downwards was even more steep and without railings. Definitely not the best for sore knees and backs. But we did it, and would worry about it later.

 

The biggest highlight was the Library of Celsus, the best preserved structure in the complex. Most of the people stopped here for photos. Across the street from the library was the Brothel, which reportedly is connected with a tunnel from the library to the house of ill repute. A few steps up the marble road, there was a carving in the marble of a lady's foot and face, pointing the way to the brothel.

 

The Great Theater was the next famous site. We have read that it held from 25,000 to 44,000 people....not sure which is correct, but it is pretty massive and in very good condition. Concerts are still held in this theater now. In fact, a special evening concert is the special event for the "suite" people, completed with wine and snacks (no dinner?). It will be held right in front of the Celsus Library.

 

We made our way out through a road lined with pine trees, past a series of souvenier shops, and finally to the bus parking lot. They were selling everything "holy", treasures like pottery, silver articles, little coffee cups, jewelry, colorful glass lanterns, and keychains and bracelets made with the "Turkey Blue Eye". We think it symbolizes the eye of God watching over you, keeping one on the up and up. It had been a long hike, and we were happy to board the bus for our next stop. One factor we appreciated was the fact that the weather was perfect...sunny, but cool with a nice, crisp breeze.

 

Well, we survived the hike!

 

To be continued...............

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[kazu]

Thanks Bill and Mary Ann. A truly wonderful place to visit. enjoy following along with you. :)

[Captain Canuck]

I think its a talisman to ward off the evil eye...have seen it in turkey and greece...its greek but Ephesus and other cities in Turkey were greek settlements.

[superoma]

thank you. this post brought back many good memories from our 2008 trip to Ephesus. We, too, had an excellent guide.

[bcnvcanada]

THANKS so much for taking the time to post. We love you impressions of the many places that you travel too. They bring back memories of our journeys and also give insight into places we hope to viisit someday. Again, thanks.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thank you for taking us with you! Thank you for making time to update us. Your posts are so interesting and fun to read.

 

Are you taking another World Cruise next year??

If so... I'd like to use your reports in my Class about Geography and Travel to my 10 and 11 year olds.

 

I'd like to put up a big map and follow your trip with pins or something..perhaps markers.

 

Then we would study about the places you visit.

 

I would read your report to the class, after I print out your posts.

 

If this is okay, please let me know.

 

Thanks again!

[Harley57]

Thanks for the wonderful post on Ephesus. We visited in 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed it. I wish we had taken the time to see the Terrace Houses!

[Georgiane]

We visited Ephesus two years ago and were just in awe of the Terrace Houses. Loved the entire tour that we took with our CC Friends.. Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories..

 

Wish we could join you on this world cruise, perhaps next year?

[ger_77]

As so many others have posted, I am thankful to you for such wonderful descriptions. We have visited Ephesus twice and I'd certainly go back another few times. The Terrace Houses were amazing - seeing the original frescoes and tiles just brought such a sense of awe to the entire place. And knowing that this was the place where Paul wrote his letters to the Ephesians made it even more special.

 

I wish you continued good health and good times through the rest of your cruise.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[WCB]

Report # 96 April 8, 2011 Friday Kusadasi, Turkey Day 1 Part 2

 

After leaving the sites at Ephesus, we continued on to the nearby Ephesus Museum. Most all of the pieces displayed here are from the ruins in Ephesus, in particular, the newly escavated Terrace Houses. This is what we should see at the museum.

 

The first thing we noticed outside the museum were the storks. Being that we are visiting here in the spring, there were several storks nesting in every available place that they can find. That is usually up high, like on top of a light pole or chimney.

 

The museum tour was short and sweet. Our guide pointed out the main finds and his favorite pieces, one of which was the small statue of Cupid. There is so much history and mystery involved with the story of Ephesus, our guide could have talked forever. But time was slipping away, and we needed to head for our next stop.......lunch.

 

We drove back to the cliffs of Kusadasi to the Macit Restaurant. It was built right on the top of the hillside with a beautiful view of the sea below. Our group was led to a covered terrace which had several tables set for our us. We were served starters of eggplant and tomato sauce, yogurt and parsley, and a green vegetable like spinach drenched in olive oil. Fresh French bread was passed around while they served beer, wine, water, and sodas. We had a choice of seabreem fish or kebob chicken. Chicken sounded good to us, so we ordered that. It came with vegetables and rice and was very tasty. Dessert was a special treat...baklava with slices of apples and oranges.

 

It was finally time to go back to town, but there was a hitch. We could either walk back to the ship, or attend a carpet demonstration at a local showroom. Most of us chose to see the carpets, even though we have been there and done that before. The promise of the Turkish coffee was enough to draw us inside.

 

First, we were shown how silk thread is created from the raw silk cocoons. It was pretty fascinating to see how the threads are gathered by a wet bristle brush, then spun on a wheel. Carpets made from this type of silk are among the most expensive that can be found in the world. The salesman said that each silk thread is knotted behind the carpet backing, and it takes as much as 550 knots to the square inch. Picture this being done by hand, and made into a room-sized rug. It takes years for the intricate designs to be woven, and several thousands of dollars to purchase one. Those items made from wool and cotton are less expensive, since the yarns are thicker and it takes fewer knots to the inch. However, silk is said to last 100 years or more, but wool and cotton do not endure as well.

 

Then came the coffees, teas, and apple teas served to us as we sat in the semi-circle for the carpet displaying. One after the other, several fellows threw down silk, wool, and cotton rugs literally at our feet. The pile got thicker and thicker as the customers got more interested. We are not sure how many people bought carpets, but the salesman said he had several sales. In our opinion, it is a good idea to do your homework on these carpets well before you leave on the cruise. And it is worth your while to compare between the shops and the weaving factories in the vicinity. We heard a story of a couple that bargained for a similar carpet at the factory, and got it for much less than the ones in the fancy stores downtown.

 

We stayed in the downtown area to walk among the numerous shops in the bazaar area. Specifically, we were looking for a leather jacket that is only available here in Kusadasi. It only took a few minutes to find the item and bargain for their best price. The fact that another ship, the P&O Oriana, was in port, the dealing might be harder. You just can't try in one store either. The vendors watch you go from one to the next, and are willing to undercut each other. Since we are here overnight, we figured we had enough for one day, and went back to the ship.

 

Dinner was good and went quickly because the dining room was half full. Since the suite cocktail party was held at Ephesus, they would have to eat their dinner late in the Lido at 11pm. Tomorrow will be another short day of touring, so it was off to bed for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruz chic]

I've been really enjoying reading about your travels. Thank you so much for the time and energy it takes to continue this. I appreciate it.

[kazu]

Fascinating Bill and Mary Ann - thanks so much for continuing to share with us - a lot of hard work and expense and very much appreciated :)

[Gail and Ken]

Thanks you so much for sharing your cruise with us. Very informative and we are enjoying your travels. Your journals would make a great book.. I look forward to your adventures every day.

[erewhon]

Thank you for allowing us to travel along with you.

Great reading.

[WCB]

Thank you all for your kind comments. We are glad to be able to "take you along on the ride" to these exciting ports. FoghornLeghorn......Yes, we do intend to go on next year's world cruise, and would be honored if you choose to present the reports and a map following our route to your students.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 97 April 9, 2011 Saturday Kusadasi, Turkey Day 2 Part 1

 

It was great to spend the night here in Kusadasi. On every previous trip, we stopped here for one day only. At least this gave the crew the time to go out after hours and go to the restaurants and bars for much needed party time.

 

We began our tour at 8:30am and were lucky enough to get on the bus with the same guide, Mert, that we had yesterday. He was so interesting and polite, that we ended up on the bus with host Tom, who usually escorts the less agile guests, that is, those with canes and walkers. We did not mind, since friends Leta and Bill were also on the bus, and are always fun to travel with.

 

As we drove along the seawall, we saw a large group of skindivers ready to get in the water. Our guide said that there was a competition being held this morning, where the divers go down, holding their breathe up to 8 minutes, to spear fish. The one with the highest poundage of fish, wins the game. It is an activity that Mert, our guide, hoped to do in the near future.

 

The first stop was at the Basilica of St.John, which honored the holy man's tomb, even though his remains are no longer there, mysteriously gone. Three hundred years after his death, a small chapel was erected over his grave to save it from being raided by the non-Christians. In the 6th century, a huge basilica was erected where the chapel stood. On the mountaintop of this site, stood the remains of a fortress, which was occupied by the Crusaders before it was destroyed.

 

From this site, we could see down in the valley below what was left of the Temple of Diana. One reconstructed pillar remains today to mark the spot that was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was right up there with the Great Pyramids and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Like all of the ruins in this region, this temple was destroyed by invaders.

 

Postcards and wooden flutes were being sold by the locals, as well as more souveniers that tempted most folks. Time was short, however, so we just bought the postcards, and Leta bought a flute to entertain us on the bus.

 

The next stop was at the mosque, but it will continue in the following report, due to many photos that we are sending to our family.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 97 April 9, 2011 Saturday Kusadasi, Turkey Day 2 Part 2

 

 

The next stop was right below St. John's Basilica. It was the Isabey Mosque, built with the materials left from the destroyed monuments in 1374 to 1375. Yes, recycling was big in those days too. The outside of the mosque was not opulent, since it was surrounded with vendors selling expensive holy items and souveniers. But the inside was impressive from an architectural aspect. The ceilings were domed, made of wood, more than likely cedar. The carpets were beautiful, probably made of silk which covered the huge expanse of floor space. We were not allowed to stand on the carpet, although some men did take off their shoes to try it out. Usually only men are allowed to pray in a mosque, but more recently, the women are allowed to join the male congregation, but only on the outside ring. Everyone is required to wash their hands and feet before entering, tourists excepted. Our guide went on and on about the Muslim religion, which was interesting, but he had to cut it short since many of our group chose not to climb the steep stairs to see the interior. Of course, they had to endure the vendors who did not give up easily trying to sell their wares.

 

We all boarded the bus, or so Tom thought, to the next stop at the village of Sirince. Halfway up the mountainside, our guide got a phone call from the tour operators telling him we had left one lady behind. We know Tom had counted heads, but what we did not see, was one lady climb off of the bus after his count. Out of the blue, she decided to go outside and do some shopping. Since she was sitting by herself, she told no one....just got off. Note to selves: do not ever do that without checking with the guide or our host. Lucky for her, the operators put her in a taxi to rejoin the group in Sirince. Tom remarked quietly to us that she was his second guest that had been left behind in all of the years that he has been hosting. Well, he will remember this day, since it was also his birthday, which he chose to keep under wraps. No fuss, no cake and candles, just another day for him.

 

The bus climbed the steep hillsides which were covered with peach and olive trees, citrus, and vineyards. This has to be extremely fertile ground to grow all of this with little care. The olive trees appeared to be ancient, but still growing and producing a good crop after hundreds of years. We reached the cliffside village of Sirince,which was established in the 5th century AD as a suitable place to hide from enemies. Also, these people needed to escape the ravages of malaria at that time. The two story houses up here are made from brick and stone, more closely related to Greek style than Turkish. The narrow roads and steep side streets were paved with cobblestones, so uneven, it made walking hazardous in some places.

 

We were escorted into the outside gardens of the Artemis Restaurant, a beautiful stone building built in 1849. We were served hot coffee in small cups, along with several servings of a flat bread, filled with cheese and spinach. The weather had been sunny and warm when we left the ship, but up here, the winds picked up, the clouds blocked the sun, and it was downright freezing. So we all ate quickly, downed the warm, sweetened coffee, and continued on to do some wine-tasting at the outdoor hut. They specialize in fruit wines, similar in taste to the ice wines of Canada. The best, we thought, was the pomegranite wine, and we bought a bottle, since it was not like the regular wine we usually do not drink. More like a mild dessert wine, we will enjoy it in our room.

 

Now we had time to explore the ancient streets and alleyways of the charming village. Every small house, had a stand outside their home. And everyone sold something different. Some offered fresh fruit and breads, while others hawked everything olive oil, which is particularly good in this region. A thick version of balsalmic vinegar was also a popular item they sold. We bought some sesame seed-covered peanuts, although the chocolate covered nuts were just as good, but too many calories. Oh yeah, like that would make much of a difference now after 95 days of indulging!! There was just enough time left to buy two pairs of hand knitted socks (made by their grandmothers, of course), a pair of copper earrings, and a fuzzy knitted cat for our room collection of pets. Something we will remember about being in Kusadasi and Sirince is the large number of friendly cats that roam the area.

 

We were back to the ship soon after leaving the village, but we decided to stay in town once again. Today, we were mixing with crowds of tourists from the Seabourn Odyssey and the Louis Majesty, a Greek cruise ship, both of which pulled in this morning. Now we had time to see more closely the many treasures of carpets, jewelry, pottery, leather, perfumes, and artwork that were being sold in hundreds of stores. It was tiring passing every shop with the vendors offering you the absolutely best deal you can find there. We must have said "no thanks" five hundred times. These guys and gals do back off if you are polite to them.

 

We wound our way in and out of the tourist traps and many cafes to find ourselves in a less traveled street of shops. Here we bargained for more hanging cloth lanterns, just like we bought in India. There was a huge difference in price compared to India, but we found one dealer who was happy to sell his lanterns for $5 each instead of $30 each. We bought three, so that made him happy. We did see some really nice Prada handbags, but being knock-offs, they were still too high priced. We got spoiled in Hong Kong and Vietnam with their reasonable prices, so we came here wise to being fooled, since these purses are either fake or real, nothing in between.

 

All aboard time was 4pm, and since everyone was on time, we left shortly thereafter. For a change, there were lots of people at the sailaway party. Despite the cool wind, leaving the port was quite scenic as we headed west towards the next port of Piraeus, Greece, where we should arrive early tomorrow morning.

 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[2552phxcrzr]

Report # 96 April 8, 2011 Friday Kusadasi, Turkey Day 1 They were selling everything "holy", treasures like pottery, silver articles, little coffee cups, jewelry, colorful glass lanterns, and keychains and bracelets made with the "Turkey Blue Eye". We think it symbolizes the eye of God watching over you, keeping one on the up and up. It had been a long hike, and we were happy to board the bus for our next stop. One factor we appreciated was the fact that the weather was perfect...sunny, but cool with a nice, crisp breeze.

 

Well, we survived the hike!

 

To be continued...............

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Actually those blue eyes are called "nazarlik." They are charms designed to ward off the evil eye ... in particular any mishap that might befall you or your possessions if someone sends "covetous" thoughts your way. The idea is that if that happens, the glass charm will break, thus protecting you and your possessions from harm.

[catl331]

I wonder if the "eyes" they sell in the port of Tampa have the same powers to them! They said they were from Turkey.