October 18, 2023
Our third port is the island of Mykonos. Rather than hang out in town, we’ve opted for an excursion to the nearby island of Delos; the mythological birthplace of Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. A major religious center and port during the 1st millennium B.C., the entire island is designated as an archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Like Delphi, Delos was a major sanctuary dedicated to Apollo, the Olympian god of prophecy, music, healing and more. Apollo’s sanctuary attracted pilgrims from all over Greece, creating one of the wealthiest and most revered shrines of antiquity.
After a quick ferry ride, we arrive on Delos and begin our exploration of the island’s ruins which include Doric temples, markets, an amphitheater, once beautiful houses with fabulous mosaics and the iconic Terrace of the Lions.
It originally had 9-12 squatting, snarling marble guardian lions along the Sacred Way.
One was removed and is presently situated over the main gate of the Venetian Arsenal.
Today, only seven of the original lions remain.
This ruined villa contains headless statues of its former owners, a rich Athenian couple called Cleopatra and Dioscurides.
After our explorations are done, it’s back to Mykonos where the girls continued their quest for the perfect gelato and I returned to the ship for some R&R at the pool with my book.
The day continued with drinks on the balcony, dinner and a show before calling it a night. Life is good!
Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await…
October 19, 2023
The next stop on our cruise is Paros; a Greek island in the Aegean Sea best known for its beaches and traditional villages. The tender boat ferried us to Paros’ bayside capital, Parikia, a boating and transportation hub for the region.
Historically, Paros was known for its fine white marble. Today, abandoned marble quarries and mines can be found on the island, but Paros is primarily known as a popular tourist spot.
The girls were window shopping their way along the main drag when I left them to do a bit of exploring on my own. Not many notable sites though the town is quite a lovely place to roam aimlessly. I did find a few interesting things including a number of beautiful churches and some ancient “machinery”.
The most notable sight was the Frankish Castle built in the 1200s by the Venetian Sanoudo family on the site of the ancient acropolis. Scholars believe that the castle was built from the bits and pieces of ancient sanctuaries that were scattered in and around the island of Paros.
Explorations completed, I headed back to the ship for (you guessed it!) some R&R on the pool deck followed by an afternoon nap! Being a tourist is hard work.
Drinks in the Champagne Lounge, dinner in Cagney’s Steakhouse and a few dollars spent gambling wrapped up another great day at sea.
Tomorrow is another day. Adventure awaits…
Judy’s Rambles 