I will be adding more photos to this over the next few days - the photos can be seen at my new Picasa page -
http://picasaweb.google.com/maurice.hughes/MediterraneanCruisePics2009?feat=directlink
Friday, September 18, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
We're Home......
As my sister so politely pointed out....all good things must come to an end!
It was a long travel day! We were up early, went for one last breakfast on the ship, then headed off to the airport. We needed to depart the ship by 9:30 and our flight was not until 3:00, so we had a bit of a long wait at the airport. Luckily, we found a small table, parked us and all our gear. Maurice thought he would purchase a day of internet time through the airport link to help pass the time, but we couldn't get that to work out for us so we passed the time eating pizza and playing table football and hockey! Nice shot Maurice - over Scott's head and onto the table behind us! We finally boarded the plan and began our journey home, through London Heathrow. While in London, Shannon and I wandered through a few shops, picked up some Flake bars to munch on and had......a starbucks coffee - yes, Maurice could of cared less at that point! It was coffee and he said something about not giving a .... if it was stupid starbucks!!! We stopped at the duty free in London to pick up a few things and found that for some reason, neither one of our credit cards would work. We didn't have enough cash between us, so we went to use some travellers cheques. In order to do that they needed to see our passports for identification but they were all the way down the other end of the seating area with all our stuff and the kids. The kids came to say our plane was boarding - even though the gate # was only posted 10 minutes before - so we left our package of goodies at the counter and said - see you next time!!
We ran through the airport for our gate, boarded almost as soon as we got to the gate and landed in Toronto at 10pm and arrived home around midnight. Everyone was exhausted as we had pretty much been up for 24 hrs by that time as no one really slept much on the plane.
Everything went very smoothly - our luggage arrived with us, we headed out to the park n fly shuttle, remembered our parking location and there was the car! Loaded up and headed out....oops almost! We get to the gate to pay and hummm....remember our credit cards were not working in London - well guess what they were not working in Toronto either! Of course no one is at the booth so we back up, park the car and call Visa! Good thing for 24 hr service. Yes, they had frozen the credit cards....something to do with a suspicious transaction in Italy regarding an internet charge!!! Oh yes, that! We cleared it up on the phone, pulled up to the gate and what do you know - the Visa worked again!!
So, while yes, the trip has come to an end, the memories we have will last forever. It was a fabulous adventure for us all. We travelled to places you hear of so often, but never think of visiting. It was something none of us will ever forget. We have been home for 1 day and we are still trying to figure out who is going to make dinner, clean up and turn our beds down tonight!!!
Thanks for following through with us and until next time!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Almost The End
Thursday, Sept 3rd
Today is our last full day on the Oosterdam… a bittersweet end. After 12 days, 2,668 kilometers at sea and some great family memories, we are heading back to Venice and a flight home. Here’s hoping this flight will be less eventful than the last!
Yesterday we docket at the port of Katakolon on the Greek mainland. We took a ship’s excursion to the Ruins of Ancient Olympia. It was a very hot day, and the heat and sun were draining… we had a look around but in all honesty the ruins weren’t as impressive as those at Ephesus – perhaps we had simply had our fill of rubble. The drive throught the countryside showed a very poor part of Greece with many half built buildings and small farms surviving on a parched piece of land. There really is nothing near Katakolon except for the ruins at Olympia and there were several cruise ships in port making it very crowded. We headed back to the ship for a few cold beers and a swim – probably the best part of the day.
I would like to say thank you for reading our blog – it has been an amazing trip and it’s been fun sharing it with everyone back home. Looking forward to a Large Timmies Regular! See you soon.
Today is our last full day on the Oosterdam… a bittersweet end. After 12 days, 2,668 kilometers at sea and some great family memories, we are heading back to Venice and a flight home. Here’s hoping this flight will be less eventful than the last!
Yesterday we docket at the port of Katakolon on the Greek mainland. We took a ship’s excursion to the Ruins of Ancient Olympia. It was a very hot day, and the heat and sun were draining… we had a look around but in all honesty the ruins weren’t as impressive as those at Ephesus – perhaps we had simply had our fill of rubble. The drive throught the countryside showed a very poor part of Greece with many half built buildings and small farms surviving on a parched piece of land. There really is nothing near Katakolon except for the ruins at Olympia and there were several cruise ships in port making it very crowded. We headed back to the ship for a few cold beers and a swim – probably the best part of the day.
I would like to say thank you for reading our blog – it has been an amazing trip and it’s been fun sharing it with everyone back home. Looking forward to a Large Timmies Regular! See you soon.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Finally, Santorini...
Tuesday, Sept 1
When we awoke today we were anchored in the Santorini Caldera. Santorini today is an island that remains after a huge explosion thousands of years ago. The island is as ridiculously beautiful as the photos you see – it is the classic Greek island. Most of the photos taken for the purpose of Greek tourism were taken here. After a ride in the tender boat we took a cable car to the top of the cliff. Of course I am very much not a fan of cable cars, but the only other options were a donkey ride or a long uphill climb on the same path used by the donkeys. I closed my eyes and we were up in no time. The smell of the donkeys made me glad we opted for the cable car. We walked through the town of Fira to find the local bus station. Once there we managed to find our way on a bus to the town of Oia. Once again, we were on a very crowded bus navigating winding roads. The view was spectacular – if you opened your eyes long enough to look down. Scott and Shannon thought it was cool! Us, not as much… Once in the town of Oia (eeya) we stopped for a cappuccino and some cold drinks in a small square before we started on our adventure. Oia has even more beautiful Greek buildings and views of an impossibly blue sea. You always imagine how beautiful it is from the pictures you see, but to see it in person is even more spectacular. There are no cars in the village as it just narrow cobblestone walkways with lots of shops, cafés, art studios etc. We wandered through the village for a while, took in the amazing views of the white and blue. It truly is a place we can see ourselves spending more time one day. We caught the bus back to Fira, stopped for a lunch of bread, Greek salad and cheese on a quaint roof top café overlooking the sea. We headed back to the dreaded cable car and once again, Maurice closed his eyes and prayed all the way down while everyone else enjoyed the view! We lucked out with the weather, too – warm but not hot and with a nice breeze. As we rode the tender back to the ship that breeze became a stronger wind. The tender was rocking back and forth pretty good – Shannon thought it was better than a roller coaster! Once we left port, the winds became very strong and the sea a little rough - looks like it’ll be a rockin’ night.
Tomorrow we are off to ancient Olympia – our last stop before we return to Venice. We will be checking out more ruins which, of course, has Shannon overjoyed. Not!
When we awoke today we were anchored in the Santorini Caldera. Santorini today is an island that remains after a huge explosion thousands of years ago. The island is as ridiculously beautiful as the photos you see – it is the classic Greek island. Most of the photos taken for the purpose of Greek tourism were taken here. After a ride in the tender boat we took a cable car to the top of the cliff. Of course I am very much not a fan of cable cars, but the only other options were a donkey ride or a long uphill climb on the same path used by the donkeys. I closed my eyes and we were up in no time. The smell of the donkeys made me glad we opted for the cable car. We walked through the town of Fira to find the local bus station. Once there we managed to find our way on a bus to the town of Oia. Once again, we were on a very crowded bus navigating winding roads. The view was spectacular – if you opened your eyes long enough to look down. Scott and Shannon thought it was cool! Us, not as much… Once in the town of Oia (eeya) we stopped for a cappuccino and some cold drinks in a small square before we started on our adventure. Oia has even more beautiful Greek buildings and views of an impossibly blue sea. You always imagine how beautiful it is from the pictures you see, but to see it in person is even more spectacular. There are no cars in the village as it just narrow cobblestone walkways with lots of shops, cafés, art studios etc. We wandered through the village for a while, took in the amazing views of the white and blue. It truly is a place we can see ourselves spending more time one day. We caught the bus back to Fira, stopped for a lunch of bread, Greek salad and cheese on a quaint roof top café overlooking the sea. We headed back to the dreaded cable car and once again, Maurice closed his eyes and prayed all the way down while everyone else enjoyed the view! We lucked out with the weather, too – warm but not hot and with a nice breeze. As we rode the tender back to the ship that breeze became a stronger wind. The tender was rocking back and forth pretty good – Shannon thought it was better than a roller coaster! Once we left port, the winds became very strong and the sea a little rough - looks like it’ll be a rockin’ night.
Tomorrow we are off to ancient Olympia – our last stop before we return to Venice. We will be checking out more ruins which, of course, has Shannon overjoyed. Not!
Ephesus August 31st
Today we are back in Turkey at the seaside town of Kusadasi. We had a private tour booked and when we got off the ship, once again, there was a gentleman standing there with our name on a sign…yeah! We headed off to the van and today we also had a driver – a tour guide and a driver! Kusadasi is the town where the ship docks but we were headed off to the Roman ruins at Ephesus. Ephesus is one of the best preserved Roman towns anywhere. It was one of the 7 Asian centres mentioned in the Bible and so is also very important for Christianity as well as archeology. The tour, led by our guide Inan was informative and fascinating. Once again the weather cooperated – it was about 29C and very pleasant.
We first drove up this massive mountain on a very steep, winding road. At the top of the hill is a house that many believe is the last home of the Virgin Mary. Mary came with St. John to Ephesus as he started the local Christian church. We quickly toured the small house and lit some candles.
Next stop was the ruined city. A series of incredible sites waited for us – amazingly well preserved terrace houses, a massive amphitheatre (and a smaller one) and the Library of Celsus (check Wikipedia for details). Everywhere we turned there were more incredible examples of the resources and technology these people possessed thousands of years ago. We learned, among other things that the Romans used silk ropes to cut the huge stones.
Our next stop was a leather shop where, believe it or not, I bought a leather coat and Joanne bought nothing! I needed a new coat anyway, honest… but the funniest part had to be the fashion show. This rather large store and manufacturing facility employs runway models to show off their latest fashions. So they did a show, just for the 4 of us. It was more than a bit surreal… it was all I could do to not burst out in laughter. As the show progressed 2 of the runway models came and grabbed Scott and Shannon and next thing you know they were coming out wearing cool leather jackets. The look on both of their faces was priceless.
Then we were off to a carpet demonstration and back to the bazaar near the boat. Joanne bought a purse and a few souvenirs, and we set sail for Santorini.
We first drove up this massive mountain on a very steep, winding road. At the top of the hill is a house that many believe is the last home of the Virgin Mary. Mary came with St. John to Ephesus as he started the local Christian church. We quickly toured the small house and lit some candles.
Next stop was the ruined city. A series of incredible sites waited for us – amazingly well preserved terrace houses, a massive amphitheatre (and a smaller one) and the Library of Celsus (check Wikipedia for details). Everywhere we turned there were more incredible examples of the resources and technology these people possessed thousands of years ago. We learned, among other things that the Romans used silk ropes to cut the huge stones.
Our next stop was a leather shop where, believe it or not, I bought a leather coat and Joanne bought nothing! I needed a new coat anyway, honest… but the funniest part had to be the fashion show. This rather large store and manufacturing facility employs runway models to show off their latest fashions. So they did a show, just for the 4 of us. It was more than a bit surreal… it was all I could do to not burst out in laughter. As the show progressed 2 of the runway models came and grabbed Scott and Shannon and next thing you know they were coming out wearing cool leather jackets. The look on both of their faces was priceless.
Then we were off to a carpet demonstration and back to the bazaar near the boat. Joanne bought a purse and a few souvenirs, and we set sail for Santorini.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday August 30, 2009
Today we were off to Mykonos. We pulled into port around noon. Once off the ship, we took the shuttle into town. We started exploring through the quaint streets heading for what we thought was the beach. We stumbled onto an area that appeared to be a bus stop. We found out that there was a beach a short drive away so we purchased tickets to go to Paradise Beach. The ride on the bus was definitely another one of those experiences that you will always remember! We arrived at Paradise Beach, got us a grass hut and a couple chairs and plunked down for a few hours. We swam in the Aegean Sea – it was awesome….except for the little fish that decided to nibble on my ankle….twice! That was it – my swim in the sea was over! The beach was definitely a very popular spot! We packed up around 5 and started to head back to town….the music and dancing that had started made Maurice wish there were beaches like that around when he was 20! We headed back to town on the bus and started to make our way through the cobblestone streets. The scenery was beautiful. We stopped for supper at a restaurant on the water, had a bite to eat then worked our way back to the ship. It was a beautiful island. Makes me more excited to see Santorini! Once on the ship, they had a pool party on the lido deck - Shannon and I took part in the famous conga line! It was a good night! Off to Kusadasi, Turkey tomorrow.
Today we were off to Mykonos. We pulled into port around noon. Once off the ship, we took the shuttle into town. We started exploring through the quaint streets heading for what we thought was the beach. We stumbled onto an area that appeared to be a bus stop. We found out that there was a beach a short drive away so we purchased tickets to go to Paradise Beach. The ride on the bus was definitely another one of those experiences that you will always remember! We arrived at Paradise Beach, got us a grass hut and a couple chairs and plunked down for a few hours. We swam in the Aegean Sea – it was awesome….except for the little fish that decided to nibble on my ankle….twice! That was it – my swim in the sea was over! The beach was definitely a very popular spot! We packed up around 5 and started to head back to town….the music and dancing that had started made Maurice wish there were beaches like that around when he was 20! We headed back to town on the bus and started to make our way through the cobblestone streets. The scenery was beautiful. We stopped for supper at a restaurant on the water, had a bite to eat then worked our way back to the ship. It was a beautiful island. Makes me more excited to see Santorini! Once on the ship, they had a pool party on the lido deck - Shannon and I took part in the famous conga line! It was a good night! Off to Kusadasi, Turkey tomorrow.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday, August 29
Istanbul is the latest in a string of remarkable, image-busting cities. The approach from the water is an incredible sight – mosque upon mosque, minaret after minaret. After we docked we headed for our boat tour of the Bosphorus Strait. The Bosphorus is the waterway that separates the European side from the Asian side of Istanbul. The tour guide pointed out the many very exclusive houses as well as many historical sites along the way. From supertankers to submarines (we saw both) the Bosphorus is the watery highway between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Our boat turned back about 4 miles from the Black Sea, and we headed in for dinner.
After overnighting in Istanbul we hit the pavement to explore the ancient side of the city. After a congested bus ride we were off, if a bit behind schedule. We had the honour of visiting the Blue Mosque, an incredible sight. Because it is a fully functional Mosque, you must dress conservatively (no bare shoulders or knees) and remove your shoes upon entry. Words can’t describe the ancient grandeur. Then it was across the street to the Aya Sofya (or Hagia Sophia in Greek). The Aya Sofya was a Christian church for 1,000 years – not just any church, but the largest church in the world by far. When Istanbul fell to the Ottomans in the 1400s it was converted to a mosque. It was a mosque for another 500 years before finally becoming a museum. The Aya Sofya is truly awe inspiring, and to have the opportunity to see both of these ancient sites back-to-back is incredible.
Oh yeah, there was one more ancient site to be visited – the Grand Bazaar. The Bazaar is essentially the world’s largest shopping mall – the mother of all tourist traps. It covers an incredible 76 acres and consists of over 4,000 shops, 24 inns, 65 streets, 22 gates, 2 covered markets, 1 mosque, fountains and tea houses. We barely managed to scratch the surface (although a few of those shops were able to separate us from some of our money).
Istanbul is full of friendly people, it seems. We felt very safe and never encountered any trouble – a great 24 hours. Now it’s back to Greece for a visit to Mykanos.
Istanbul is the latest in a string of remarkable, image-busting cities. The approach from the water is an incredible sight – mosque upon mosque, minaret after minaret. After we docked we headed for our boat tour of the Bosphorus Strait. The Bosphorus is the waterway that separates the European side from the Asian side of Istanbul. The tour guide pointed out the many very exclusive houses as well as many historical sites along the way. From supertankers to submarines (we saw both) the Bosphorus is the watery highway between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Our boat turned back about 4 miles from the Black Sea, and we headed in for dinner.
After overnighting in Istanbul we hit the pavement to explore the ancient side of the city. After a congested bus ride we were off, if a bit behind schedule. We had the honour of visiting the Blue Mosque, an incredible sight. Because it is a fully functional Mosque, you must dress conservatively (no bare shoulders or knees) and remove your shoes upon entry. Words can’t describe the ancient grandeur. Then it was across the street to the Aya Sofya (or Hagia Sophia in Greek). The Aya Sofya was a Christian church for 1,000 years – not just any church, but the largest church in the world by far. When Istanbul fell to the Ottomans in the 1400s it was converted to a mosque. It was a mosque for another 500 years before finally becoming a museum. The Aya Sofya is truly awe inspiring, and to have the opportunity to see both of these ancient sites back-to-back is incredible.
Oh yeah, there was one more ancient site to be visited – the Grand Bazaar. The Bazaar is essentially the world’s largest shopping mall – the mother of all tourist traps. It covers an incredible 76 acres and consists of over 4,000 shops, 24 inns, 65 streets, 22 gates, 2 covered markets, 1 mosque, fountains and tea houses. We barely managed to scratch the surface (although a few of those shops were able to separate us from some of our money).
Istanbul is full of friendly people, it seems. We felt very safe and never encountered any trouble – a great 24 hours. Now it’s back to Greece for a visit to Mykanos.
Gallipoli and the Approach to Istanbul
(Written by Maurice)
The day started early for me. I was up and on deck for about 6:10 a.m. as I wanted to catch the start of the ride through the Dardanelles Strait. In particular I wanted to see the Turkish War Memorial which is located at the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula. My Grandfather fought at Gallipoli with the 5th Manchester Regiment in the British Army alongside the Aussies and Kiwis. One of my earliest memories was listening to my Dad and my Uncle Al talking about how their Dad was at the Dardanelles, and wondering what the Dardanelles were. I soon found out and passing through that strait was something that’s always been on my ‘must do’ list. The memorial was an awesome sight. We passed by it just at sunrise and I thought how lucky I am to visit this place so many years after my Grandfather and under much better conditions. We owe those veterans of the Great War a huge debt, as we all know.
The Dardanelles is a very scenic cruise as it turns out. Europe on the left, Asia on the right. This truly is where East meets west. As we inched closer to Istanbul the water opened up into the Sea of Marmara, and then suddenly we were on the doorstop of Istanbul. We were following in the wake of 12 different civilizations that have ruled this place. The Romans, the Greeks and the Ottomans passed this way before us. Very cool – we could see the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia clearly (Pictures to follow, some day…). Istanbul is a city of minarets – hundreds of them attached to hundreds of mosques make for an incredible sight.
In the early evening we went for a boat cruise on the Bosphorus straint. The Bosphorus divides Europe from Asia and is one of the busiest shipping routes anywhere. We saw a supertanker and a submarine, among many other vessels. The architecture along the Bosphorus was also very impressive, with many palaces and private homes along the waterfront, and the ever present mosques close by.
A great day in a land that definitely feels very foreign. Tomorrow we will spend the day hitting the major sights of Istanbul
The day started early for me. I was up and on deck for about 6:10 a.m. as I wanted to catch the start of the ride through the Dardanelles Strait. In particular I wanted to see the Turkish War Memorial which is located at the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula. My Grandfather fought at Gallipoli with the 5th Manchester Regiment in the British Army alongside the Aussies and Kiwis. One of my earliest memories was listening to my Dad and my Uncle Al talking about how their Dad was at the Dardanelles, and wondering what the Dardanelles were. I soon found out and passing through that strait was something that’s always been on my ‘must do’ list. The memorial was an awesome sight. We passed by it just at sunrise and I thought how lucky I am to visit this place so many years after my Grandfather and under much better conditions. We owe those veterans of the Great War a huge debt, as we all know.
The Dardanelles is a very scenic cruise as it turns out. Europe on the left, Asia on the right. This truly is where East meets west. As we inched closer to Istanbul the water opened up into the Sea of Marmara, and then suddenly we were on the doorstop of Istanbul. We were following in the wake of 12 different civilizations that have ruled this place. The Romans, the Greeks and the Ottomans passed this way before us. Very cool – we could see the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia clearly (Pictures to follow, some day…). Istanbul is a city of minarets – hundreds of them attached to hundreds of mosques make for an incredible sight.
In the early evening we went for a boat cruise on the Bosphorus straint. The Bosphorus divides Europe from Asia and is one of the busiest shipping routes anywhere. We saw a supertanker and a submarine, among many other vessels. The architecture along the Bosphorus was also very impressive, with many palaces and private homes along the waterfront, and the ever present mosques close by.
A great day in a land that definitely feels very foreign. Tomorrow we will spend the day hitting the major sights of Istanbul
Friday, August 28, 2009
If it's Thursday it Must Be Athens
Today we had a full day planned in Athens. The ship docks in Pireaus, which is a small suburb of Athens (approx. 20 min. drive). Once again, through the careful planning of my honey, he had booked us on a private tour with a tour guide who came highly recommended through several people on cruise critic. We got off the ship around 8:15, walked through the cruise terminal and there he was holding a card with our name on it! He was a very well dressed man named Nick Loukas who promptly lead us to this brand new BMW touring van. It sure looked like we were off to a good start. In order to beat the heat and the crowds he first drove us to the Acropolis. Navigating through the streets of Athens was no small feat – there are cars and mopeds everywhere. There are very few straight roads and you are driving up and down small alleyways - I’m sure glad he was driving! It was crazy.
First stop – the Acropolis….what an amazing sight. There it is high on the hill overlooking the entire city. We walked through the ruins on the Acropolis – the famous temple of Athena (about 50% of which is under scaffolding), the temple of Dionysus and the oldest theatre in the world. Luckily the weather wasn’t ridiculously hot – soon after we drove to the brand new National Archaeological Museum and toured through there. Athens is full of amazing artifacts dating back thousands of years. I continue to stand in awe of the ancients architectural and building skills. No blueprints, no electricity, no cranes… incredible. We visited many more sites around Athens, including the temples of Zeus and Hephestaeous, the official residence of the Prime Minister (where we saw the changing of the guard), the original Olympic stadium from the 1st modern Olympics in 1896 (which was actually used when the Olympics were in Athens in 2004), Plaka – an “old town” neighbourhood of shops and cafes and the Agora, the administrative centre of ancient Athens. We had a great Greek lunch in an outside café in Plaka.
Athens was a very pleasant surprise – its reputation as a crowded, polluted, dirty city was completely untrue – OK, except for the crowded part. I found myself wanting to go back some day and see more.
First stop – the Acropolis….what an amazing sight. There it is high on the hill overlooking the entire city. We walked through the ruins on the Acropolis – the famous temple of Athena (about 50% of which is under scaffolding), the temple of Dionysus and the oldest theatre in the world. Luckily the weather wasn’t ridiculously hot – soon after we drove to the brand new National Archaeological Museum and toured through there. Athens is full of amazing artifacts dating back thousands of years. I continue to stand in awe of the ancients architectural and building skills. No blueprints, no electricity, no cranes… incredible. We visited many more sites around Athens, including the temples of Zeus and Hephestaeous, the official residence of the Prime Minister (where we saw the changing of the guard), the original Olympic stadium from the 1st modern Olympics in 1896 (which was actually used when the Olympics were in Athens in 2004), Plaka – an “old town” neighbourhood of shops and cafes and the Agora, the administrative centre of ancient Athens. We had a great Greek lunch in an outside café in Plaka.
Athens was a very pleasant surprise – its reputation as a crowded, polluted, dirty city was completely untrue – OK, except for the crowded part. I found myself wanting to go back some day and see more.
Are you Joking Me!!!!
Wednesday - August 26, 2009
Quote of the day: Are you joking me!!!
Yes, that’s what Maurice said at 1:30 a.m when there was a little tap, tap, tap at the door followed by a soft voice saying “room service”. I got out of bed and there was a very kind cabin steward standing there holding a tray with 3 glasses of milk and 3 plates of chocolate chip cookies!!
Today was our first full day at sea. Our past few days had been so busy, we were all looking forward to a nice relaxing day on the ship doing “whatever”. We had a very nice dinner in the dining room Tuesday night then the kids wanted to go to the movies to see Valkeryie. The kids talked Maurice into going to the show as well so I headed off to the casino! All was good until he found out the movie did not start until 10:00 pm. Anyone who knows Maurice knows this was not a good thing! The only place he thinks about going after 10pm is to bed. The fact that he was getting ready to go out at 10pm was throwing him right off and on top of that, our clocks moved ahead another hour that night so in his head it was really 11pm!!! We went to get him a coffee to wake him up and after a few grumbles here and there – they headed off! We all met back at the room and headed to bed around 12:45 a.m. Maurice and the kids got back a few minutes before me and they decided they were hungry so they called room service for milk and cookies. They said it would be 45 minutes to 1 hr so Maurice told them to forget it! Obviously they misunderstood his accent….hence the knock at the door at 1:30!!! Everyone got up – I delivered their little snack and off the lights went again!
We slept in a bit….9 am – 3 of us had a quick bite to eat then Maurice headed off to a talk about the Greek ruins while Shannon and I headed off to a kitchen tour…yes Scott stayed in bed! We met up on the pool deck for lunch and lounge around the pool for a while. Shannon and Scott watched a belly flop completion while Maurice and I went to check out the art auction – no we did not buy anything –didn’t realize I would need to mortgage my house for a painting!
A good day was had by all – we are all rested up ready for our next adventure – we are off to Athens tomorrow! We have a tour guide booked for the day to show us the sites. Should be a good day. Till next time!
Joanne
PS…sorry – we are having problems loading pictures through the connection so they are missing for now! We will add them later if we can.
Quote of the day: Are you joking me!!!
Yes, that’s what Maurice said at 1:30 a.m when there was a little tap, tap, tap at the door followed by a soft voice saying “room service”. I got out of bed and there was a very kind cabin steward standing there holding a tray with 3 glasses of milk and 3 plates of chocolate chip cookies!!
Today was our first full day at sea. Our past few days had been so busy, we were all looking forward to a nice relaxing day on the ship doing “whatever”. We had a very nice dinner in the dining room Tuesday night then the kids wanted to go to the movies to see Valkeryie. The kids talked Maurice into going to the show as well so I headed off to the casino! All was good until he found out the movie did not start until 10:00 pm. Anyone who knows Maurice knows this was not a good thing! The only place he thinks about going after 10pm is to bed. The fact that he was getting ready to go out at 10pm was throwing him right off and on top of that, our clocks moved ahead another hour that night so in his head it was really 11pm!!! We went to get him a coffee to wake him up and after a few grumbles here and there – they headed off! We all met back at the room and headed to bed around 12:45 a.m. Maurice and the kids got back a few minutes before me and they decided they were hungry so they called room service for milk and cookies. They said it would be 45 minutes to 1 hr so Maurice told them to forget it! Obviously they misunderstood his accent….hence the knock at the door at 1:30!!! Everyone got up – I delivered their little snack and off the lights went again!
We slept in a bit….9 am – 3 of us had a quick bite to eat then Maurice headed off to a talk about the Greek ruins while Shannon and I headed off to a kitchen tour…yes Scott stayed in bed! We met up on the pool deck for lunch and lounge around the pool for a while. Shannon and Scott watched a belly flop completion while Maurice and I went to check out the art auction – no we did not buy anything –didn’t realize I would need to mortgage my house for a painting!
A good day was had by all – we are all rested up ready for our next adventure – we are off to Athens tomorrow! We have a tour guide booked for the day to show us the sites. Should be a good day. Till next time!
Joanne
PS…sorry – we are having problems loading pictures through the connection so they are missing for now! We will add them later if we can.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Split
Today we arrived in Split, Croatia. Split has a long history, going back to the Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian was one of the few Roman Emperors who actually lived long enough to retire. He built his palace here, near his place of birth.
Split is a very pretty town. It Is nestled between a row of mountains and the very blue Adriatic.
We didn’t schedule an organized tour today, deciding to explore on our own. We toured around Diocletian’s palace, which really is more of a fortress with houses and shops inside along many ancient narrow walkways – very pretty. We stopped at a café and bought a couple of souvenirs and mailed some post cards. We knew that Croatia did not use the Euro and we were told by the ship’s staff that the Euro was accepted everywhere. Turns out that wasn’t quite true… we ended up using the bank machine (a very easy process, it turns out – don’t tell Joanne!) once we figured out the exchange rate. We had 3 lemonades and a cappuccino for what amounted to 5 Euro… pretty cheap. We had to buy stamps and the post office only accepted local currency, too. It was fun watching Joanne attempt to buy stamps and postcard from a woman who obviously had no English whatsoever…
We came back to the ship via tender – it was pretty choppy and of course that wasn’t Joanne’s favourite part of the trip. Then we had a swim and we were off to a formal dinner (suit and tie) – very enjoyable and we used our first ‘free’ bottle of wine.
All in all an enjoyable day.
It is interesting to note that we have not once had to clear customs… not in England, Germany, Italy or Croatia. Very strange…
Tomorrow we have a ‘sea day’… so I doubt there will be a blog entry.
Today we arrived in Split, Croatia. Split has a long history, going back to the Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian was one of the few Roman Emperors who actually lived long enough to retire. He built his palace here, near his place of birth.
Split is a very pretty town. It Is nestled between a row of mountains and the very blue Adriatic.
We didn’t schedule an organized tour today, deciding to explore on our own. We toured around Diocletian’s palace, which really is more of a fortress with houses and shops inside along many ancient narrow walkways – very pretty. We stopped at a café and bought a couple of souvenirs and mailed some post cards. We knew that Croatia did not use the Euro and we were told by the ship’s staff that the Euro was accepted everywhere. Turns out that wasn’t quite true… we ended up using the bank machine (a very easy process, it turns out – don’t tell Joanne!) once we figured out the exchange rate. We had 3 lemonades and a cappuccino for what amounted to 5 Euro… pretty cheap. We had to buy stamps and the post office only accepted local currency, too. It was fun watching Joanne attempt to buy stamps and postcard from a woman who obviously had no English whatsoever…
We came back to the ship via tender – it was pretty choppy and of course that wasn’t Joanne’s favourite part of the trip. Then we had a swim and we were off to a formal dinner (suit and tie) – very enjoyable and we used our first ‘free’ bottle of wine.
All in all an enjoyable day.
It is interesting to note that we have not once had to clear customs… not in England, Germany, Italy or Croatia. Very strange…
Tomorrow we have a ‘sea day’… so I doubt there will be a blog entry.
Monday –brought to you by Joanne!
Last night was our first sleep on the ship. Given we were still docked at the port of Venice; it was a very smooth night. We are heading back into Venice today to get all the final tourist things done! We wanted to get up and get going so we thought we would take advantage of ordering room service for breakfast. Shannon enjoyed picking out what she wanted to eat from the list. Breakfast showed up at 7:30 and we all sat on the beautiful balcony and had a wonderful breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage etc. It was quite a treat! With full stomachs we headed out on our final Venice adventure. Having missed the turn at the ferry, we headed the correct way today and hopped on the boat. I feel like we are in the amazing race…without Phil! The boats are packed with people and just when you think they won’t let anymore on – 20 more people cram their way through! We headed back to the Hotel American to get a water taxi to Murano, as this was included with our stay. Murano is a small island just north of Venice that is famous for its glass making. Yes we were getting in yet another taxi to brave the waterway! You have to understand what its like – there are boats of every size coming and going everywhere….as long as I know where the life jackets are I will be just fine. I must say the kids find it quite amusing!
Had a brief tour of the glass factory, and then some man toured us through the store showing us all the fabulous works of art. They were amazing. It’s hard to believe they make these pieces the way they do. Everything was amazing. Maurice thought we should buy a small piece to take home as a souvenir. We found a really nice vase that was about 10” high and asked how much…..the gentleman said business has been slow and he would give us a really great price. Only $400 Euro’s including shipping and insurance. Not bad I say! I took one look at Maurice and we made a polite exit!
We found our way along the waterway to get the water taxi back to town. Maurice and Scott relaxed at a small café and had a cold drink while Shannon and I …yes…shopped for a few souvenirs!We headed back to Venice and hit the Doges Palace. Thanks once again to my husband’s careful planning, our admission passes were included with our Venice connected passes and we bypassed all the people in line and went straight to the entrance. He should have been a tour guide! We saw the very ornate Doge’s apartments, spectacular ceilings and the largest painting in the world. We toured the prison cells and crossed the Bridge of Sigh.
We headed straight back to the ship. The sail away from Venice was beautiful. It was amazing to see it from the water and from that height. We had the usual life boat drill where Shannon enjoyed pretending she was a bumper car smashing into us all with the big huge life jackets on. We headed down for dinner and then took in a short show. Even Scott came to the show with us!
Tomorrow it’s off to Split, Croatia.
Last night was our first sleep on the ship. Given we were still docked at the port of Venice; it was a very smooth night. We are heading back into Venice today to get all the final tourist things done! We wanted to get up and get going so we thought we would take advantage of ordering room service for breakfast. Shannon enjoyed picking out what she wanted to eat from the list. Breakfast showed up at 7:30 and we all sat on the beautiful balcony and had a wonderful breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage etc. It was quite a treat! With full stomachs we headed out on our final Venice adventure. Having missed the turn at the ferry, we headed the correct way today and hopped on the boat. I feel like we are in the amazing race…without Phil! The boats are packed with people and just when you think they won’t let anymore on – 20 more people cram their way through! We headed back to the Hotel American to get a water taxi to Murano, as this was included with our stay. Murano is a small island just north of Venice that is famous for its glass making. Yes we were getting in yet another taxi to brave the waterway! You have to understand what its like – there are boats of every size coming and going everywhere….as long as I know where the life jackets are I will be just fine. I must say the kids find it quite amusing!
Had a brief tour of the glass factory, and then some man toured us through the store showing us all the fabulous works of art. They were amazing. It’s hard to believe they make these pieces the way they do. Everything was amazing. Maurice thought we should buy a small piece to take home as a souvenir. We found a really nice vase that was about 10” high and asked how much…..the gentleman said business has been slow and he would give us a really great price. Only $400 Euro’s including shipping and insurance. Not bad I say! I took one look at Maurice and we made a polite exit!
We found our way along the waterway to get the water taxi back to town. Maurice and Scott relaxed at a small café and had a cold drink while Shannon and I …yes…shopped for a few souvenirs!We headed back to Venice and hit the Doges Palace. Thanks once again to my husband’s careful planning, our admission passes were included with our Venice connected passes and we bypassed all the people in line and went straight to the entrance. He should have been a tour guide! We saw the very ornate Doge’s apartments, spectacular ceilings and the largest painting in the world. We toured the prison cells and crossed the Bridge of Sigh.
We headed straight back to the ship. The sail away from Venice was beautiful. It was amazing to see it from the water and from that height. We had the usual life boat drill where Shannon enjoyed pretending she was a bumper car smashing into us all with the big huge life jackets on. We headed down for dinner and then took in a short show. Even Scott came to the show with us!
Tomorrow it’s off to Split, Croatia.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 23rd
On Sunday, we checked out of our hotel. The weather was much more pleasant – cooler and windy. We headed to St. Mark’s square where Scott and I went up the campanile (the bell tower). We fully expected to walk to the top, but as it turns out there is an elevator. At the top it was very windy and the views over the city – all the way to the Alps were breathtaking. We took a bunch of pictures that we will post when we get a decent internet connection.
Afterwards we finished exploring St. Marks while the girls shopped and then headed straight to the Oosterdam via water taxi. We witnessed the enormity of the ships up close as the taxi took us right between the Oosterdam and another ship. The taxi then did battle with several others to get a landing spot at the dock – great fun to watch for all of us except for Joanne who was busy looking for the life jackets. It turns out Joanne isn’t much of a boat person!
A fairly smooth check in and we were on the ship and in our stateroom. Then, it was back into town for one last look at Venice up close. Trouble is, we missed the turn for the ferry and ended up walking, and walking, and walking… I think we saw parts of Venice few tourists ever see. Our goal was to do a quick tour of the Doge’s Palace but unfortunately after all that walking it was closed. So, we had to settle for the one touristy must do – the gondola ride. As previously mentioned, Joanne isn’t much for boats, including gondolas. Don’t get me wrong, cruise ships are OK, just not what she considers little boats. The Gondola ride was amazing – lots of sights and history. Joanne was again looking for the life jackets… the ride was a bit rough at first and again when we docked at the mouth of the Grand Canal, but we all survived without getting dumped out.
Afterwards we finished exploring St. Marks while the girls shopped and then headed straight to the Oosterdam via water taxi. We witnessed the enormity of the ships up close as the taxi took us right between the Oosterdam and another ship. The taxi then did battle with several others to get a landing spot at the dock – great fun to watch for all of us except for Joanne who was busy looking for the life jackets. It turns out Joanne isn’t much of a boat person!
A fairly smooth check in and we were on the ship and in our stateroom. Then, it was back into town for one last look at Venice up close. Trouble is, we missed the turn for the ferry and ended up walking, and walking, and walking… I think we saw parts of Venice few tourists ever see. Our goal was to do a quick tour of the Doge’s Palace but unfortunately after all that walking it was closed. So, we had to settle for the one touristy must do – the gondola ride. As previously mentioned, Joanne isn’t much for boats, including gondolas. Don’t get me wrong, cruise ships are OK, just not what she considers little boats. The Gondola ride was amazing – lots of sights and history. Joanne was again looking for the life jackets… the ride was a bit rough at first and again when we docked at the mouth of the Grand Canal, but we all survived without getting dumped out.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Venice....Finally
written by Joanne....
Well, we finally made it to Venice. We arrived at the airport at 11 pm which was a little later than the original expected 2pm arrival. But, non the less, we were here. Now we just had to hope that our luggage made it through the journey with us. So, off the plane we go, it was 28 and very humid - even at 11:00 at night. Off to the luggage carousel we go and wait....wait...wait... I get really excited because I see Shannon's hot pick suitcase coming down the ramp! Yeah, our luggage is with us! We are waiting for 1 more bag to round the turn....nope - note there. Everyone is gone and we are still waiting for our 1 bag! We go to the luggage claim area and find that our 1 bag is still in London, Heathrow airport. It is suppose to come today so we shall see! Shannon and I are in pretty good shape because it was the bag with all the boys clothes!!! I did pack a few things in some of the other bags so they do have a change of clothes!
Thanks to Maurice's carefull planning, when we came out of the airport there was a man standing there with our name on a card. He collected us up and dropped us off at the water taxi. The water taxi took us to the front door of the hotel. We checked in and got our room - they had to put us in 2 rooms. They are side by side which is good and now we have 2 bathrooms...gotta like that! We finally crashed around 1am. It was a really long day!
Maurice woke us all up around 8 this morning, we headed down to the breakfast room in the hotel and had a great breakfast. We then headed off to find the Bibbi....a grocery store where we could get some deoderant and tooth paste!
We then headed out on an adventure to St. Marks Square. Scott navigated us through the streets and after a nice walk - we found the square. It's pretty hot, but there is a nice breeze. We were all ready for a break from the heat so we decided to sit at a cafe in the square and have ice cream and ice coffee with lots of whip cream! Won't tell you how much that cost - except I bet I can buy a leather purse cheaper!
Picked up our water taxi passes and went on a tour of the St. Marks Basillica. Headed back to the hotel for a break to freshen up and cool off [ then off on another adventure to find someone good for dinner!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Quote of the day
...came from Shannon, who said "well, I never thought I'd be in Germany today"...
We were hit hard by the aftereffects of the storm last night in Toronto. A 50 minute delay turned into a 4.5 hour delay - we never left until after 1:00 a.m. and we missed our connection in London to Venice. So, they rebooked us on Lufthansa and now we are sitting in Frankfurt, Germany, waiting for the next flight to Venice. It has been a very long, messy, frustrating day, but we're all still talking to each other and soon we'll be there. Finally. \
Will update more tomorrow.
We were hit hard by the aftereffects of the storm last night in Toronto. A 50 minute delay turned into a 4.5 hour delay - we never left until after 1:00 a.m. and we missed our connection in London to Venice. So, they rebooked us on Lufthansa and now we are sitting in Frankfurt, Germany, waiting for the next flight to Venice. It has been a very long, messy, frustrating day, but we're all still talking to each other and soon we'll be there. Finally. \
Will update more tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tick, Tick, Tick...
The clock is counting down - we leave tomorrow afternoon. There's lots to do tonight and tomorrow but all in all I think we are ready.
Wish us luck! Next post should be from Venice. Ciao!
Wish us luck! Next post should be from Venice. Ciao!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A Suite Upgrade - 9 More Days
Yesterday, I received a call from Janice Booker, our travel agent at the CAA Office in Stoney Creek. Janice has done a great job working with us on organizing this cruise and we are sure to use her services in the future. Janice had an upgrade to a Deluxe Suite that she offered to me, and after about 10 seconds of deliberation I decided to go for it... extra space will make it worth the bit of extra money it cost, I think..
It's hard to believe it's only 9 days away! This weekend will be spent spent packing and otherwise preparing for our departure on Thursday, August 20th.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Itinerary
Here is our itinerary:
- August 20: Leave from Pearson Airport on British Midland flight467 (this is a code share with Air Canada)
- August 21: Arrive Venice - Marco Polo International Airport at 2:30 p.m. Check in to the Hotel American
- August 22: Exporing Venice on our own
- August 23: Exploring Venice on our own and check-in on the ms Oosterdam
- August 24: More Venice explorations, followed by departure
- August 25: Split, Croatia
- August 26: Sea Day
- August 27: Athens, Greece - we will be using privategreecetours.com to show us the sights
- August 28: Istanbul, Turkey - we will be taking a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait in the evening
- August 29: Istanbul, Turkey - exploring on our own
- August 30: The island of Mykonos, Greece
- August 31: Ephesus, Turkey - we will be using a private guide from Ekol Travel to see the sites
- September 1: Santorini, Greece - exploring on our own
- September 2: Katakolon, Greece - we have booked a ship excursion to see the sites of ancient Olympia
- September 3: Sea Day
- September 4: Arrive back in Venice and fly home on BMI flight 468. We depart at 3:15 pm Venice time
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Venice in Three Days
We will be arriving in Venice after the long trip from Hamilton (via Toronto and then Heathrow) on Friday, August 21st. I've set up private transportation from the airport to the hotel... I know I won't really be in the mood to try and find the proper public transit boat, cart all of our luggage, etc. This way, we will be able to disembark directly in front of the hotel. We will be staying at the Hotel American Dinesen in the Dorsoduro neighbourhood of Venice.
I have also arranged Venice Connected cards so that we will have access to all of the public transportation options in Venice - we can zip up and down the Grand Canal to our hearts content (and access the WiFi Service, too).
In Venice (as in most places in Europe, apparently) it costs money to use the washrooms. Venice Connected also offers what Shannon has named a 'pee pass'... however after looking into the costs of the 'pee pass' I think we'll wait and see on that one.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Planning Continues...
One of our stops on this cruise will be at Ephesus, in Turkey. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world was found here. Now, Ephesus is the site of some of the best preserved Greek and Roman ruins in the world. The Apostle Paul preached here, in a theatre that still exists.
We are taking a tour with EKOL Tours - should be an incredibly interesting day.
We are taking a tour with EKOL Tours - should be an incredibly interesting day.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Athens in a Day
I've set up our first port excursion - woo hoo! It looks like we will be able to use the services of a very experienced guide in Athens. Nikos Loukas of "Private Greek Tours" will be driving us around and showing us the sights during our brief 8 hour stopover in Athens. I found out about Nikos through Cruise Critic, which is a great resource for anything you want to know about cruising. Of course, 8 hours in one of the world's most historic cities will barely scratch the surface. Who knows, maybe we'll like it and come back some day...
Monday, June 15, 2009
Cruise Itinerary
Here is the itinerary for the trip... we leave from Venice on August 23 and return to Venice September 4th.
Starting the Blog
This is the first entry in the Hughes Family Mediterranean Cruise blog. In this blog we will document the planning for this 'trip of a lifetime' and we will blog from the ship as we sail the Mediterranean Sea starting August 23, 2009.
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