Just back! Our VIKING SKY-mazing 7 day Ancient Mediterranean Treasures - 6/25 to 7/2/2022. Full trip report with tons of pix!

[Sleep7]

I tried with a panoramic Iphone setting but it doesn't do it justice.

 

[Sleep7]

Walked back into Rhodes for the afternoon.

 

 

 

[Sleep7]

 

Another great port talk.  I loved that besides some history of the upcoming port from our CD the Excursions Manager Chantal explained what each tour would include and was waiting outside of the Star Theater right after the presentation to answer questions.

 

 

[Sleep7]

It was "Greek Night" at the World Cafe but we decided to eat in The Restaurant.

Here is the menu for that night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sleep7]

It was amazing!  Delightful service and scrumptious food at a relaxing pace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by Sleep7

[Sleep7]

WEDNESDAY - KUSADASI (EPHESUS) TURKEY

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by Sleep7

[Sleep7]

Breakfast to go! Because of the 7 hour time change it's still a bit early for me to eat breakfast if we had an early morning tour.  Packed a few ziploc bags just for this purpose.🤗

[Sleep7]

Good morning Kusadasi!    There were dancers at the end of the pier welcoming the incoming passengers. Kinda neat to see the reflection of the ship in the background.

 

 

 

[Sleep7]

We chose the optional "Ancient Ephesus" tour and it was another winner.

 

 

Our guide taught us a bit of Turkish on the way to the site.

Phonetically spelled again..

Avet - Yes

Higher - No

Two sugar et dream (said quickly) - Thank you.

 

[Sleep7]

Thankfully it was slightly cooler than our boiling HOT day at the Acropolis in Athens just 2 days prior, and if you looked carefully during the tour there were more than a few spots of shade that you can hide under while the guide was talking.

I had brought a UV protection umbrella which did help a lot.

The pictures tell the story.. Ephesus is truly an outstanding archeological site! 

 

 

 

 

[Sleep7]

This caduceus was carved into a stone at the entrance to the city to show that there were doctors who practiced there.

 

 

 

[Sleep7]

This is a carving of Nike, the goddess of Victory who is showing her one breast.  Our guide told us that some Amazon women actually removed one of their breasts so they could use a bow and arrow more efficiently.  They proudly showed off their one missing breast so they would be acknowledged as a true and brave warrior. #admiration

 

[Goosebear Mum]

Thank you for these. Really enjoying reading them 

[Sleep7]

No visit to ancient ruins would be complete without the "ancient row of toilets" shot.🤣

 

[Sleep7]

Just now, Goosebear Mum said:

Thank you for these. Really enjoying reading them 

Oh you're so welcome Goosebear Mum! Glad that you are enjoying my story!🤗

[Sleep7]

The UV blocking umbrella really helped.. It was heavier than a regular umbrella but worth bringing it.

 

[Sleep7]

And now for the star of the Ephesus show.. the Library of Celsus.  It didn't disappoint! Even more breathtaking in person than in pix.

 

 

 

 

[Sleep7]

We even got a show.👏

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by Sleep7

[Sleep7]

Right outside the entrance/exit to the site was a store that gets my vote for the best name!

 

 

 

[Sleep7]

Back on the ship for lunch and then a little bit of shopping near the port.

The very good natured salesmen tried their absolute best to beckon potential customers in their store with every funny line in the book. 

Our only purchases were a few boxes of Turkish delight for Sam to bring back to co-workers next week.

It was truly the capital of counterfeit goods! Wow! I have never seen so many.

Pocketbooks.. watches.. shoes..

You want a Roolex watch, a Channel bag, or Guci shoes.. you got 'em.🤩

 

This is a fake display.. looks amazingly like the real display we saw 2 days later in Istanbul!

 

Fake

 

 

Real

Edited July 3, 2022 by Sleep7

[Sleep7]

One last pic of Kusadasi.. the steps are real.😉

 

[Sleep7]

My hairdryer dreams came true!

And no.. I didn't steal it.

A ZILLION thank you's to sweet and dear Guest Services Manager Liesl and my OBC.

 

[Sleep7]

Capping off a perfect day was a perfect kebab dinner on the shady outside deck of the World Cafe.. my favorite spot on the ship.😍

 

 

[Sleep7]

Oh! And a big shout out to the two enrichment lecturers on our cruise.

We learned so much about the history of the Mediterranean and the Ottoman empire.. fantastic.👏

 

 

[Sleep7]

Tonight we got our disembarkation instructions.. it's going to be one for the books.

Our flight from Istanbul was scheduled to leave at 4:10am.

I had bought RT transfers but was a little concerned that Viking might have a problem with such an early transfer.. I wondered when would we leave? Midnight?

Well that's exactly when we were scheduled to leave.  Perfect.👌

Not a problem for Viking! They are TRULY on top of EVERYTHING!