Did Fine in Kusadasi, Italy & Greece

[angeleyes27]

Remember me how worried I was about ISIS? Well, I am still worried about ISIS, but I made out fine in Kusadasi, Italy, Greece and Croatia. I felt safe the whole time that I was there. We had Ephesus Shuttle and our guide was kind, caring, easy to understand, and very informative. We had a private tour. We had no problems (except for things like late trains, late planes, etc). My husband was very relieved and felt comfortable. Some of the salespeople were pushy in Turkey and Greece. In Greece, a bunch of the trash has not been picked up outside of the tourist areas, and our guide said do not judge them by that.

[angeleyes27]

 

 

 

 

[LondonTowner]

Why were you concerned about ISIS you weren't anywhere near where they are operating??

[cruisemom42]

Are you looking for kudos for traveling to places visited safely by tens of thousands of tourists annually?

[angeleyes27]

Why the nasty reply? I do not understand that. I thought it might be helpful to others who might be afraid like I was.

[Wiltonian]

Why the nasty reply? I do not understand that. I thought it might be helpful to others who might be afraid like I was.

 

I hadn't noticed that anyone else was. It seemed so illogical at the time, and it seems just as illogical today. Homicide rate in US is twice that in Turkey.

[LondonTowner]

Tips on what to do and what to avoid would have been far more informative than warning about atrocities happening nowhere near the places you visited. I'm doing a cruise to Iceland soon, should I be on my guard for ISIS activity?

[LuvCats!]

Thanks Angeleyes! I'm glad you had a good trip. :)

[angeleyes27]

Thank you, Luv cats! We have been to Iceland a couple times. Very nice. Raw natural beauty. I would have given tips but I know so many many people who are afraid right now to travel who have traveled before because of terrorism and I genuinely thought that it would be helpful to see someone as cautious as I speak on the subject. Most of them will not speak of their fears on here. I know about the homicide rates in the US mainly in cities but also because of inadequate gun control laws here. Where I live, crime in low and I know it is low in Turkey, but my concern was just terrorism. I was mainly concerned because ISIS threatened to infiltrate Europe and they also threatened the US. I take them seriously.

[goleta01]

Tips on what to do and what to avoid would have been far more informative than warning about atrocities happening nowhere near the places you visited. I'm doing a cruise to Iceland soon, should I be on my guard for ISIS activity?

Might want to beware of a few volcanoes!!!

 

 

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

[waterbug123]

I was mainly concerned because ISIS threatened to infiltrate Europe and they also threatened the US. I take them seriously.

 

You can be in just as much danger at home, going about your normal activities. Just ask the people of Aurora, Columbine, New York, Virginia Tech, Boston, Sandy Hook, Charleston......

[Joel&DebF]

Tips on what to do and what to avoid would have been far more informative than warning about atrocities happening nowhere near the places you visited. I'm doing a cruise to Iceland soon, should I be on my guard for ISIS activity?

 

Maybe you should watch out for Ices?? ;)

[Joel&DebF]

Why the nasty reply? I do not understand that. I thought it might be helpful to others who might be afraid like I was.

 

Agreed. Your concern can be seen by some as irrational, but there's no need for snark among fellow cruisers.

[roothy123]

Jeez, people, be nice!

 

Angeleyes, those are some gorgeous photos. I love the one on Santorini, and the one of the canal and bridges from the ship in Venice. I'm only sorry our ship leaves Venice at midnight, as I've seen some great pictures taken from the ship. The angle is great for getting a better picture than if you're down on a vaporetto. I'll be in a number of the same city in late September; can't wait.

 

Glad you had a great time!

[angeleyes27]

Thank you, Joe&Deb and Roothy!! I would think that these forums would be a place to discuss fears as well as tours and plans. Some people are more fearful and cautious than others. When people rebuke those with fears, others may be afraid to voice their concerns. It is like those who are weaker being made fun of. I have decided not to respond those negative responses.

 

I am so happy that you enjoyed my pictures. I really like Venice. It is a beautiful city. You can get wonderful shots on the sailaway. Sorry you are leaving in the dark

[cruisemom42]

In my defense (since I'm being cast as a big meanie :p), let me just say that I think there's a difference between expressing honest misgivings and fearmongering.

 

You posted here not once but several times prior to your trip about your fears, quoting some pretty outrageous things as "facts" and suggesting that those of us who were honestly trying to reassure you with our actual experience (not some cockamamie story published somewhere on the internet) had our heads in the sand as regards safety in Europe.

 

I have no problem with people asking for the experience of others to help reassure them. But I don't think it's right to scare off others with non-factual information and rumored happenings. People in these countries receive many tourists annually, and they are safe. Not to mention that there are people there whose livelihoods depend on tourism.

 

I also think it's a little disingenuous to come back from your trip and say that although you are "still worried about ISIS" (in Europe), YOU made out fine. (As if suggesting that others may not be so lucky??)

 

I don't mean to pick on you. I'm truly glad you had a nice experience on your trip. I hope that it will translate into a greater sense of reassurance and security on your part and pleasant future travel. 'Nuf said.

[angeleyes27]

Cruise mom, you asked me where my fears were coming from and I gave you the articles that I read from multiple sources. That is not trying to scare anyone since multiple people were giving their opinions. That is not fear mongering and I only tried to express my fears.

And I was only trying to help others, not suggesting that others would not be so lucky. I am sorry that you took what I said the wrong way. I think these forums should be a place where people can discuss their opinions, fears, etc whether some people think it is irrational or not. I was truly afraid and I know many others who feel the same. They would not discuss it here. They just don't go.

[angeleyes27]

Also it is important to note that at the time I posted about my fears, the Tunisian attack on the shore excursion passengers had just happened, the terrorist attacks in Copenhagen & France had occurred a couple weeks before and ISIS had threatened to infiltrate Italy/Europe . The "outrageous sources" that I quoted were newspaper articles in the Washington Times, IB Times, Breibart as well as the media sources of CNN and 60 Minutes as well as a Libyan ambassador. There just seemed to be so many of them and even the Italian government more than doubled their police force because of those threats. There were several raids around Europe and the US uncovering terrorist cells. As someone who had many friends who lost loved ones in the NY terror attacks and narrowly missed losing my sister in the attacks, those kinds of things are very scary to me and very real. I also reinterated several times that I did not want to in any way, put a negative spin on the people or the countries which I have always enjoyed. I have never worked in the journalism field which I know you have so I don't know which sources are reputable and which are not. I apologize for not being as smart as some others about that.

[2travelers2go]

Speaking of Tunisia, 27 tourists have just been killed at a beach resort there. It's on CNN right now. While the world in general is a dangerous place, and we have just had people shot to death in a church here in the US, I don't think that your fears are unfounded. 'Nuff said.

[waterbug123]

Cruise mom, you asked me where my fears were coming from and I gave you the articles that I read from multiple sources.

 

I believe the following quote is from Mark Twain, and forgive me if I don't have the wording exactly right:

 

"If you don't read the newspaper, you'll be uninformed. If you do read the newspaper, you'll be misinformed."

 

This would go for watching the news on TV, reading internet news, etc. The media sensationalize everything. Not to say bad things don't happen because of course they do, but the media are in the business of fear mongering. That's how they attract and retain viewers/listeners/readers and in turn, how they make money. You can get yourself in a tizzy because some tourists became victims somewhere, but as I said before, you can just as easily become a victim of something horrific right in your own home town. But if one feels undue fear traveling to Europe or wherever, then it makes more sense to simply stay home rather than jumping on the fear mongering bandwagon saying "I'm scared to death to go but I'm going anyway."

[2travelers2go]

"The media sensationalize everything ... the media are in the business of fear mongering."

 

This is a rather sweeping generalization which is an insult to professional journalists. Especially those who have lost their lives in order to get the story out to inform people of what's going on in the world. Including those who were beheaded by ISIS.

 

Do you also believe all doctors are quacks? CPAs are all willing to cook the books? Plumbers are all out to rip you off?

 

If legitimate media were all shut off, where would you turn to get trusted information? Have you never read a newspaper? Listened to newscasts?

 

Your statement is tantamount to fearmongering. Against the media.

[waterbug123]

"The media sensationalize everything ... the media are in the business of fear mongering."

 

This is a rather sweeping generalization which is an insult to professional journalists.

 

Like Brian Williams?? :D