Last Day...Corinth

The Pacific Princess docked  early at Piraeus, the port for Athens.  After a quick breakfast we departed our home for almost the past two weeks.  Once outside of the cruise terminal, we looked for a guide for the day, Vasili from Greecetaxi.  Our plans were to see the ruins at Corinth.
After a few minutes of waiting, Vasili shows up with a big smile.  We load our luggage into the waiting Mercedes and start our day.  The streets are full of traffic, but he navigates it well.  We pass the time talking about where he grew up and his family, it was his father's cab and he drove.  During tourist season he drove lots of tours since he was very fluent in English.
Once out of the city the road opened up to an interstate like set up.  To the right were hills and the left the sea.  Small towns dotted the countryside and coast, and the road was lined with shopping plazas, gas stations, etc, just like home, except there were no McDonalds.  We left the major road and after a few minutes we were at the Corinth Canal.  It had been a dream of Greeks for centuries to cut through the narrow strip of land that would increase Athens to the Adriatic Sea.  It was finally completed the end of the 19th century.
Vasili dropped us off on one side of the canal and drove to the other and waited.  The canal was crossed by bridge flanked with pedestrian walkways.  Being afraid of heights, I stayed away from the outside rail, that is until the middle of the bridge where a large dog was resting.  In the canal was a small freighter making its way to the Adriatic.
Once back in the car we continued to the site of ancient Corinth.  Though once a thriving city, Corinth has been mostly destroyed over the centuries from earthquakes and time.  There is part of one temple still standing, and various parts of structures.  The museum has some very well preserved artifacts.  Above Corinth is a large fortification, the drive up was along a narrow road.  At the fort, we decided not to go inside since it was very cool and windy, but the view was magnificent.

The last stop of our tour was lunch in a small resort town.  It is a favorite place for Vasili and his friends to spend weekends in during the summer.  The streets were lined with nice shops and vacation condos, and even though it was the middle of the week and the end of the season it was bustling.  We were dropped off at the waterfront promenade and went looking for a meal.  After walking to the end we decided on a place that served stuffed crepes.  We had a table so we could watch the people walking by and the sea just beyond.  Lunch was good and we returned to meet Vasili, who always seemed to appear at the meeting place as we approached.

The drive back to Athens was nice.  We talked about music, life in Athens and the United States and enjoyed the scenery.  Once closer in to Athens, the traffic got heavier since it was getting to be rush hour.  our hotel was the Sofitel at the airport.  VERY good choice, it was right across the street from the terminal.  The hotel was beautiful, and the room was very comfortable.  The bathroom was very well equipped and the shower massage great.  A great place to end a vacation.

Ephesus, Turkey

This was a second visit to Ephesus, the previous visit was on my first cruise ever.  It was on the Celebrity Galaxy from Rome about 6 years ago.  Not much has changed, but then when visiting ruins that is normal.
The biggest difference is that we entered the site from the other side and walked through the whole site.  We walked past the ruins of a small theater, the 'terrace' house and shops.  Ephesus at its peak was a prosperous seaport.  Unfortunately, the river silt filled the harbor and the city lost its importance.
On this excursion, we did go to a shrine for Mary, Ephesus is where she went to after the crucifixion.  The shrine is located on top of the one of the surrounding hills.  There is a small chapel, her reconstructed house and the spring where water was gathered.  Pilgrims to the site leave wishes on the wall near the spring.
The major attraction is the remains of the Library of Ephesus.  All that remains is the front wall and courtyard.  Only my last visit there was a small re-enactment with actors dressed in Roman garb.  The architecture of the Library shows how elaborate of a building and Ephesus was.

The area surrounding the Library is filled with 'terrace' houses.  These were the houses of the wealthy members of society.  Interspersed between there houses are shops, temples and shrines to both gods and deceased residents.  Since this was the wealthy section of town, the shrines to deceased loved ones rivaled the temples to  the current gods.  One of the houses has been restored to its former elegance, and is part of a museum.  One of the major structures in ancient Ephesus has succumbed to time and no longer exists.  It is the Temple to Artemis.  It was larger then the Parthenon in Athens, the only remnants is one column located in a farmer's field.
All Roman cities of any size always had a main meeting place, usually a large amphitheater.  The one in Ephesus is where the Apostle Paul preached, it is where his Letters to the Ephesians originated.  It is amazing to walk on the same stones that biblical figures also tread on.
On the way to the exit of the site is the ancient Roman road that connected Ephesus to the rest of the empire.  It is lined with pieces that have been recovered at the site, but the original buildings have been destroyed.  After the rows of gift shops we board the bus to return to the port.
Once back in the port we are given a demonstration on the weaving of carpets.  Refreshments are provided and then the sales pitch., free shipping included!  There are a few streets lined with shops featuring everything from the usual tourist items to leather jackets to knock-off watches.  After a few purchases, we board the ship, and have a late lunch.
This probably will not come as much of a surprise, but.......the 'Gems of the Sea' were late again.  Fifteen minutes before departure their names are announced.  Luckily they did board before they were late.  The interesting thing is that the ship blows its horn to announce departure.  In a port of less than 10 blocks, it should be easy to hear and realize it is time to head to the ship.  Some people will never learn.

Day at Sea

On almost every cruise, there are days at sea.  That wonderful time to relax, enjoy the ship, and do nothing.  After leaving Alexandria, the Pacific Princess headed to Ephesus in Turkey, and provided us with our last full sea day followed by formal night.

When I awoke, I noticed some movement of the ship, and as usual I was very hungry.  But after getting ready for breakfast and making my way upstairs, I was much less in the mood to eat.  The Pacific Princess is a small ship and the rough seas produced rolling.  After a VERY light breakfast, I returned to the cabin and laid down. This was the best position of me.

I watched a few movies took a nap or two as the day progressed and the ship continued to roll.  We were in an ocean-view cabin on deck 4 with a nice picture window to let in light.  Several times during the morning I would sit up and watch the roiling sea.  The outside of the window had a fine film of dirt, but it was still easy to see the water.  I was going to call the cabin steward and ask him to clean the outside of the window just to see his reaction.
While watching the television, my cabin darkened as if I had covered the window.  Upon sitting up and looking out, I realized a wave had cleaned the outside of my window, problem solved.  But that means the waves were at least 40 feet high.
After a light lunch, I spent the rest of the afternoon as I had spent the morning. Once we entered the waters around the out-lying Greek Islands, the winds diminished along with the rough seas.  At the late seating for dinner, there were a good number of empty seats.  I did taste the Beef Wellington, but after a few bites decided it would be best not to finish.  One other table mate decided the same since the ship was still rocking some.  Of course, the ship's movements had no effect on the 'Special Gems of the Sea'.  When I decided I had finished, E ate the spinach from my plate and really wanted the beef, but felt guilty and returned it since no one would share it with her.
With less movement of the ship, it was easier to walk around the ship.  While in the lounge, I joined two passengers from Los Angeles and a member of the entertainment staff.  They inquired about the 'Gems of the Sea' since they had the experience of meeting E.  During a Zumba class, E had arrived late, how unusual, and was doing her own routine.  She repeated stated that the class was NOT Zumba since she did it on LA and was being taught incorrectly.  When asked if she would like to lead the class, E declined and left.

The crew member said they were lucky with only having to pay for the cab ride when they were late.  Some ports charge hefty fines for overstaying, in excess of $100,000.  She was on a cruise that was delayed by passengers in a port that resulted in the ship having to travel faster to the next port.  Traveling faster means more fuel, and they were presented a bill for the excess fuel consumed.  That would have gone over like a lead balloon.

Israel - Day 1

The original itinerary was for one night in Haifa, followed by one night ins Ashod, but because of some unrest in Ashod, the Pacific Princess remained in Haifa for two nights.  This did not effect our excursion, since ours included and overnight stay in Jerusalem.  The only request from the ship was if you were going to stay on land to let them know.  But more on this later.
Haifa is a port city, and only recently a cruise destination.  This means the port itself is not very attractive.  But the city itself rises up the slopes of a small mountain.  The most recognizable site is the Baha'i Temples and its gardens, unfortunately our tour did not include this site, but it was visible from the ship.
After meeting in the lounge, our group departed for the bus and the drive to Jerusalem.  The driver navigated the streets of Haifa and we entered onto a highway like any interstate at home.  The trip was about two hours and passed fields, towns and memorials.  On our rest break I sampled fresh made tahini, ground sesame seeds, and a sweetened candy-like version.
Once in Jerusalem, we drove to the Mount of Olives for a view of the Old City.  The view was impressive with the city wall, the Dome of the Rock and many other Biblical sites.  The next stop was the Church of All Nations which is located in the Garden of Gethsemane.  There was a very large crowd waiting to enter the church, but our guide knew the staff and our group was allowed to go in through the exit cutting out an hour's wait in line.  Both of these locations were mentioned multiple times in the New Testament with the travels of Jesus.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient writings in Hebrew of the Bible, found by a Bedouin herder in caves near the Dead Sea, they are housed at the Israel Museum.  In the courtyard of the museum is a 50:1 scale model of Jerusalem in the year 66.  It is amazing in its detail, and some of the structures are still identifiable in the modern city.  Inside the museum is the display of the scrolls along with the history of their discovery.  The original clay jars from the first scrolls discovered are also on display.  The scrolls are arranged around the outside of the display area and in a circular center section.  A short stroll through the sculpture garden then back on the bus.
Due to urban sprawl, the city of Jerusalem and the town of Bethlehem run together.  I had always thought they were farther apart then the approximately 5 miles.  We went in the church that was built over the site believed to be the manger where Jesus was born.  There was a service in progress and the line to the 'grotto' was extremely long, so our resourceful guide took up around so we could glance in.  Lunch at a restaurant wa included.  It consisted of the local cuisine and  some items to appeal to American tastes.

Back in the Old City, we wandered through the narrow alleys lined with shops to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher  built on the site of the Crucifixion and the Tomb of Jesus.  The  church was dark and imposing in the deepening night.  Once inside we climbed to the chapel believed to be on the actual site, then to the tomb, also inside the church.  A memorial mass was being conducted so the was quite a crowd.  More narrow alleys and then we were in the open space before the Western Wall, part of the original temple.  To approach the Wall, men needed to cover their heads, and males and females were separated to different areas.
Once we arrived at out hotel, The Dan, we checked had a few minutes then to dinner.  Luckily the meal was served in hotel buffet style in a ballroom.  Being in Israel, all the food was Kosher, but there was a wide variety of options, of of which were delicious, and multiple bottles of wine.
The night time entertainment was a light show in the courtyard of a guard tower on the city wall.  It was very well planned with a walk along the inside perimeter of the wall with various vignettes in the alcoves.  The actual show was projected on the interior walls.  It was a show of the history of Jerusalem and I thought it was very good.  Of course was had to take in all the details because of the size of the projection.

The one thing that REALLY surprised me about Jerusalem was how hilly it was, and the fact that they were STEEP hills.  I thought it would be on rolling hills, not some that were more like cliffs.