October 28, 2023

Montepulciano

Today we are headed to Montepulciano to a winery that Elaine’s brother and his wife visited recently. Montepulciano is a medieval hilltop Tuscan town, surrounded by vineyards, that is known for its vino nobile red wine. After a nice breakfast at the farm, we pile into our trusty Peugeot. When entering the address into google maps, I see that the settings include “avoiding highways”! This may be why we have been hitting every roundabout in Tuscany! With that corrected, our journey includes some highway driving and the miles slip by faster but still with some breathtaking scenery especially as we near our destination.

Google maps bring us right to the gate of Montepulciano where we score the perfect parking spot but where is the winery that we are looking for? Surely not in town! We find the wine shop run by the Ercolani family where we can explore their underground “city” and are advised that no visits to the vineyard are permitted. It looks like we have actually arrived so we book a tour that starts in a 1/2 hour giving us a bit of time to explore the town beforehand. 

The road to the Piazza Grande is all uphill so up we go with some retail therapy and notable sights along the way. Didn’t make it to the top before the tour so we will do that after. 

Our guide, Elisa, explains that the underground city has existed since the 1400s. It was built as an escape route for the families living here when the war between Siena and Florence was underway. 

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is one of the oldest wines in Italy and was one of the first DOCG wines in Italy to help preserve the quality of the brand. DOCG designation for Brunello, Vino Nobile and Barolo were all approved by a presidential decree in July 1980.  

Vino Nobile must contain a minimum of 70% Sangiovese grapes. The Ercolani family wine is aged for two years in Croatian oak barrels (made in Venice) followed by another year in French oak barrels that have been toasted.  The cleaning process for the Croatian oak barrels requires the workers to actually enter the barrels. Given the size of the hole, they must be quite slim an flexible! The glass containers on top of the barrels (colmatore) allow them to see the level of wine in the barrels, which fluctuates with the weather, and adjust as necessary. 

The vineyard has two brands; Ercolani which is made from grapes of the younger (30-35 year old) vines and Apostli from the grapes of 75-80 year old vines. The winery also makes a sweet white wine, Vino Santo, from dried grapes which is aged in smaller barrels for 8 years. 

In addition to the wine storage, there is a wool room, a room for olive oils and the Well of Escape is a tank for gathering rain water.  During several sieges of the city, the noblemen escaped through here. 

There is also a Museum of Torture in this underground city featuring some of the “toys” used in the Middle Ages. Yikes!

After our tour, we had a lovely wine tasting complete with snacks!! My favourite wine was the 100% Sangiovese wine from the older vines but they were all very drinkable. I would recommend the tour and tasting when you go to this magnificent town!

Onward and upward to explore this town clearly built for mountain goats! Beautiful vistas and interesting sights abound. 

Chiesa di Sant’ Agostino was founded in 1285, it was given its current façade during the 15th century. Its magnificent interior was restored in the 17th century. The stairs and the churchyard are particularly beautiful and provide a great view of the town’s Main Street. 

The Torre di Pulcinella is a clock tower topped by a figure of the Pulcinella, a commedia dell’arte character. Strange but true: in Montepulciano there is a 17th century Pulcinella – of clear Neopolitan origin – that strikes the time at the top of a tower. There are various suppositions about the reasons that led to the installation of this automaton, made of wood and clad in sheet metal in the heart of Tuscany. Perhaps a priest from the Campania region wanted to commemorate his home. Maybe it was erected as a symbol of theatre, as an effigy of Montepulciano’s cultural vocation. We really don’t know.

Chiesa del Gesù. As well as being a house of worship much loved by the people of Montepulciano, the excellent acoustics of this church make it a favourite venue for concerts. 

On the Piazza Grande is the 14th-century Palazzo Comunale, with a tower offering views of the surrounding countryside. Also here is the Duomo, with a huge triptych above its altar.

There were lots of other less notable things that took my fancy and here are some of those pics!

We’ve signed up for Saturday dinner back at the farm so we have gelato for lunch before heading to our next stop, Pienza. 

Pienza 

Located in the historical region of Val d’Orci, Pienza is nestled between Montepulciano and Montalcino. In 1996, UNESCO declared the town a World Heritage site, and in 2004 the entire valley, the Val d’Orcia, was included on the list of UNESCO’s World Cultural Landscapes.

Pienza was originally a small village called Corsignano, and the birthplace of Enea Silvio Piccolomini – Pope Pius II. Pius hired famed Florentine architect Bernardo Rossellino to give the city an upgrade into the “ideal town” based on the urban planning aspirations of the time, and renamed it Pienza after himself. Many motifs of Renaissance architecture can be seen in the buildings of Pienza, and some are even said to have originated here. 

In addition to the wonderful architecture, Pienza is renowned for the sheep cheese known around the world as “Pecorino di Pienza”. The very special and traditional aging process takes place in wooden barriques, but that is not all what gives it this special taste acclamed by all.

We pick up some cheese and salami for a future charcuterie night. Next is a quick stop for a drink before we head back to the Farm for our much anticipated dinner.

Sadly the dinner does not live up to our high expectations based on the cooking class earlier in the week with the same chef. The meal is much too carb forward; risotto, pasta and potatoes, too salty and general blah! Oh well, we all have off days. I’m sure the Saturday dinners are usually much better. 

Tomorrow is another day. Adventure awaits …

October 27, 2023

This morning, we have a walking tour in Siena booked so we grab a quick breakfast and head to our trusty Peugeot for the journey. Google maps, our other constant companion, is also on the job and we make it to Siena and find parking without any serious issues. Of course, we’ve programmed in some time to get lost either on the highway or in the town on foot just in case. 

We find out guide, Julie, in front of the NH hotel without incident and she gives us speakers so we can hear her from a distance. Our foursome rounds out the tour group to fifteen and we’re off. Julie is originally from the US but has lived in Siena for 35 years so she’s very knowledgeable and speaks perfect Italian (at least it sounds perfect to us!). 

Siena was an important medieval republic with a population of 65,000 people inside the walls in its prime. It was actually larger than London and Paris at the time. Today there are still around 65,000 people in Siena but most of them live outside the walls. 60% of population succumbed to black plaque. (30% avg in Europe) because of high population density and poor hygienic conditions. 

Siena was built on three hills; each with a village that merged to make a city. The Duomo was built the highest hill with the Basilica San Dominico beside it. 

Siena and Florence were rivals for many years and fought constantly. Eventually Florence defeated Siena and set about to subjugate them by knocking down the many tours that protected the city. The Fortress of Siena was built by Medici family after the conquest of Siena in 1655 with the help of Spanish and used the materials from the ruined tours as building materials. The fortress is now a garden and cultural centre. Most (80%) of the walls around the city are still standing. 

Saint Catherine of Siena is their patron saint. She was one of 23 children (yikes!! ) Born one year before black plague, she was eventually granted Sainthood because of her spiritual mysticism and diplomacy. She was instrumental in getting the Papacy moved back to Rome from France.

Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the oldest bank in the world, originated in 1472 as a Monte Pio (pawn agency) and was expressly instituted to give aid to the more underprivileged classes of the population during a time of particular hardship for the local economy.

Sallustio Bandini was an Italian archdeacon, economist, and politician. He was an advocate of free trade, and removal of local feudal tariffs and tolls. 

Legend has it that Siena was established by Senius, son of Remus and nephew of Romulus. Thus, the symbol of Siena is a she-wolf breastfeeding Romulus and Remus. This symbol is repeated in different parts of town and pieces of art.

Siena Cathedral, a medieval church, was dedicated from its earliest days as a Roman Catholic Marian Church and is now dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. It was originally intended to be much larger but because of the devastation form the black plague is much smaller though still very imposing. The building is constructed from white marble and dark green granite.  

Fountains were not for decoration but supplied the water for the citizens. The city didn’t have a water supply so water came in from 25 km out. One of the old fountains is still available but not in use. Used to be called the Fountain of Serenity and is now named after the street above. Fountains were two or three levels. The highest level was for human consumption, second for animals and third for household use; laundry etc.

Siena is famous for its horse race which is not just a race but a passion. The Palio takes place on July 2 and August 16 every year. In the Palio, the various Sienese “contrade”, or areas in which the city is divided, challenge each other in a horse race in the heart of the city in the Piazza del Campo. The Campo was originally a grassy field but is now a concrete square so 15 inches of fill is added along the course to make the race a bit safer for the horses and riders. The bottom right is a tight corner with mattresses for a soft landing in case of accidents. 

Originally, there were about fifty-nine “Contrade”; now only seventeen remain, ten of which take part in the historical pageant and in the race at each Palio (seven by right as they had been excluded the previous year and three drawn by lots). The race consists of three circuits of the Campo and the winning contrade has bragging rights for the next year and, of course, lords it over the losing entries. 

The 17 Contrade are: the Eagle, Snail, Wave, Panther, Forest, Tortoise, Owl, Unicorn, Shell, Tower, Ram, Caterpillar, Dragon, Giraffe, Porcupine, She-Wolf and the Goose.

Each Contrada has its own unique emblem and colors and represents an area of the city. As one walks through the streets of Siena it is easy to know in which Contrada you currently are in by observing the flags and emblems displayed along the street.

The tour completed, we retired to one of the many bars that face the Campo for an Aperol Spritz to decide on our next moves.  

After a bit more exploration, we headed back toward our parking spot and stopped at Osteria La Chiacchera close to the Sanctuary of Saint Catherine where she was born. The salads were great here but the pici was not Al dente so our Pici Cacio de Pepe wasn’t the best. Luckily, there was a bottle of red wine to wash down our disappointment.

Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await …

October 26, 2023

Today we’re engaging in one of the most fun things to do when travelling; a cooking class. The chef at Poderi Arcangelo is an Italian Nonna (Ezia) and we’re excited to learn some of her tricks! Sadly, Elaine is still down for the count and won’t be joining us on our culinary journey. 

It’s a lazy morning for a change with a relaxing breakfast and a start time of 11 am for the class of budding chefs! Glenda, Linda and I are joined by a couple from Boston, Doug and Eileen. Nonna has the kitchen set up for us and we don our aprons, wash our hands and are ready to start. But wait … we need some wine to help us while we work!

We’re making ravioli (with pasta from scratch of course), pork tenderloin, fried eggplant and biscotti for dessert. First up is the pasta made using eggs from the farm, flour, olive oil, a pinch of salt and ice water as required. While the dough rests we start on the filling of onions, garlic, zucchini, mascarpone cheese, eggs and parmesan seasoned with salt and pepper. This will be served with some luscious sage butter.

Next up we prepared the pork tenderloin medallions by dredging with flour and frying in olive oil that has been fragranced with rosemary, crushed garlic, bay leaves and cracked juniper berries. Once the meat was a nice golden brown, we added red wine and left it to simmer. The eggplant was soaked in milk before dredging in flour and deep fried in sunflower oil. 

The biscotti is flavoured with lime zest and juice and stuffed with almonds. Twice baked; it is crispy and delicious. 

Now that the food is prepared, we do the final touches and it is ready to be served with more wine of course.  We’ve “tried” a couple bottles of Nonna’s favourite red a Chianti Reserva made on the farm as well as a bottle of her favourite white; a Vernaccia so we’re stated to be a bit or maybe a lot tipsy. 

The farm has a lovely herb/vegetable garden and its own laying hens so everything is uber fresh and the meal is fantastic. After some biscotti, washed down with Vino Santo, a white wine made from dried grapes, I “staggered” back to my room and had a nap/passed out, much to Elaine’s delight, lol! Let’s just say there was no need for dinner and we caught up on our zzzs. 

Tomorrow is another day.  Adventures await …

October 25, 2023

Today we’re checking out of our apartment at Borgo Bucciano outside San Miniato and heading to Poderi Archangelo near San Gimignano. Our new digs are quite a bit nicer in our new home so I’m glad we planned our stays in this order to avoid disappointment!

Check out was 10 am and it was a short drive so we were very early for our check in at Poderi Archangelo (Archangel Farms). Fortunately, our rooms were ready so we unloaded our steamer trunks and lugged them upstairs to our rooms.

After a quick unpack and refresh, we headed off to nearby San Gimignano for a look around and some lunch. A picturesque medieval town, San Gimignano is considered a UNESCO world heritage site famous for the Hundred Towers built in the middle ages by Italy’s most influential families. Filled with splendid squares, palaces, churches, and the magnificent towers, San Gimignano calls Chianti its home.

Back on the farm, we had a quick nap before Linda, Glenda and I headed to a local Osteria for dinner. We all had the tastiest fillet de Chianina with a rich Brunello sauce washed down with the house red.  A luscious semifreddo was the sweet ending to the meal. After dinner, we headed back to the farm for the night. 

Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await …

October 24, 2023

A quick breakfast and lots of coffee for the girls and we’re off on another adventure. This morning we’re heading to Florence to explore on our own. We must have gone through a zillion roundabouts as the google maps routing did not include any highway driving to avoid construction. We find the parking lot at the tram station but it’s full so we check out nearby street parking and score a nice big space for our ginormous SUV. After a quick pit stop, we board the tram for a station in the city center. 

We don’t have a firm plan today other than to meander through Florence with a desire to go to the Scola del Cuoio (Leather School) to buy some prime leather and see whatever we see along the way.

Florence is a beautiful city with a rich history so it is inevitable that we will trip over some of the more notable sites regardless which route we follow and we do!

Our first “find” is some very beautiful wall art. 

Soon enough we make it to the Duomo. Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the largest churches in the world. The external walls are covered in white, red and green marble with geometric figures and stylised flowers. The first stone of the new cathedral was laid on 8 September 1296. The church was consecrated at completion of the dome, by Pope Eugenio IV, on 25 March 1436; a mere 140 years later! The church is magnificent but I especially loved the ornate doors. 

Next highlight is the Palazzo Medici Riccardi Museum which used to be home to the Medici family who ruled the city and the Tuscany region between the 15th and the 17th century. Situated in the heart of the city center, the Palazzo, is one of the most visited sites of Florence.

Yesterday we noticed some young folks sporting crowns of laurel leaves. Again today, we spy recent graduates crowned with laurel leaves enjoying some bubbly with their loved ones. The “laurea” is earned whenever a student is ready to defend his/her dissertation to a faculty committee in front of family and friends. Only after the committee deliberates is it clear that the degree has been earned and the student gets to wear the laurel wreath for the rest of the day’s of celebration.

At just under 10 sq cm, the next thing we stumble on is easy to miss: a small brass stone, embedded directly underfoot, in the sidewalk. Known as “Stolpersteine”, or “stumbling stones”, there are now more than 70,000 such memorial blocks laid in more than 1,200 cities and towns across Europe and Russia. Each commemorates a victim outside their last-known freely chosen residence. The inscription on each stone begins “Here lived”, followed by the victim’s name, date of birth, and fate: internment, suicide, exile or, in the vast majority of cases, deportation and murder. Together, the number Stolpersteine now constitute the largest decentralised monument in the world.

Dante Alighieri was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His Divine Comedy is widely considered one of the most important poems of the Middle Ages and the greatest literary work in the Italian language. The Statue of Dante is found outside the Basilica of Santa Croce in the Piazza Santa Croce. 

It’s time for lunch so we grab a table at the Osteria Battipalla under the canopy. The location is great until it starts raining cats and dogs and all the outside diner scatter to find tables indoors.  The food is good and we miss the bulk of the storm while taking our break. 

Fortified, we continue to the Leather School (Sculo del Cuoio). The Florentine tradition of working leather dates back into antiquity. Due to the proximity of the Arno river, providing an endless supply of water necessary for the tanning process, Florence and other small towns bordering the river became important sources of high quality leather.

After World War II, the Franciscan Friars of the Santa Croce Monastery teamed up with the Gori and Casini families, well-known leather artisans, to found a school that would teach war orphans the leather trade. With a stated commitment to keeping the tradition of exquisite Florentine leather craftsmanship alive, we found beautiful leather products within their doors though they were a bit expensive so we decided to head to the San Lorenzo Market and see if we could find some purses within our budget. This outdoor market has rows of booths selling everything made from leather, from jackets and purses to other souvenirs such as notebooks, belts and change purses. Linda, Glenda and I had some success here but Elaine is still on the hunt for the perfect bag. 

Retail therapy done, we headed back to the tram station, hopped on a tram, rescued our SUV and headed back home for the night. What about David you say? While we did pass the huge line of folks waiting to enter the Accademia Gallery of Florence on our travels, we decided to give him a miss this time!

Back on the farm, we enjoyed a charcuterie platter and some wine before a rousing game of Wizard. Soon enough it was time to call it a night!

Tomorrow is another day.  Adventures await …

October 22, 2023

The ship docked back in the port of Athens aka Piraeus early this morning.  We are meeting our fearless driver, Nic, at 7:20 for the transfer to the airport to hop on our flight to Rome. Despite some fattening of the suitcases from retail therapy in the Greek Isles, Nic manages to stow our luggage and we’re off. Sunday morning traffic is light and we make it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. 

We’re flying to Rome on a Sky Express flight. Given the plethora of luggage, it’s a good thing that we opted to pay for extra bags/extra weight for our checked suitcases. The original 15 kg limit would not have cut the mustard for Elaine and Linda who had been more selective about their packing than Glenda and I. 

The airport procedures are efficient so now all we have to do is find a nice spot to hunker down and wait for our flight to be ready for boarding. The hours tick by and soon enough we’re on a bus to the plane which departs Athens and arrives in Rome more or less on time. The travel Gods continue to smile on us and we head to the car rental desk with all our luggage in tow. The rental counters are severely understaffed so it takes what seems like forever to get our car. To compensate for the inconvenience, we get a much needed upgrade to a bigger SUV that may just be able to haul us and our luggage through the hills of Tuscany! Lol. 

Getting out of the airport is a bit of a challenge as the exit is blocked by a fellow motorist that can’t seem to get the gate to open. Eventually, he backs up and we give it a go. After several attempts the gate miraculously opens and we’re off. Thankfully, Glenda has a phone plan so we can use google maps to take us to our San Miniato and our first apartment in Borge Bucciano. The journey is relatively smooth other than forgetting the ticket for one of the tolls and a bit of difficulty with one of the zillion traffic circles near our destination (I think we went through it three times before getting it figured out). Unfortunately, the delay at the airport has us arriving after dark so we have a few challenges finding our destination and end up driving in some tight spots with our “giant” SUV. Thankfully, we arrive none the worse for the wear, figure out the locks and haul our luggage up several flights of stairs to our rooms. 

Accommodations are basic but clean with a killer view that we don’t see until the morning. It’s been a long time since breakfast/lunch so our first order of business is something to eat. There is a list of options available in the book at the hotel and we decide on a local restaurant/pizzeria, Casa di Lucullo, which is a short 3.5 km away. We program their address into google maps and we’re off with only a bit of a challenge with our “favourite” travel circle. 

Casa do Lucullo is a local haunt and there are quite a few locals but I’d guess we’re the only tourists. We all opt for pizzas washed down with some of the local house red. We were hungry and the food was good. Sated we head back up the hill for a relatively early night. 

Tomorrow is another day. Adventure awaits …

October 23, 2023

We were supposed to have a walking tour in Pisa this morning but the guide had to cancel at the last minute so we’ve decided to brave this city, straddling the Arno, unsupervised! Pisa is best known for its iconic Leaning Tower which was already tilting when it was completed in 1372. The 56m white-marble cylinder is the bell tower of the Romanesque, striped-marble cathedral that rises next to it in the Piazza dei Miracoli. 

Google maps is again our navigator and we eventually find parking near the train station with only a wee bit of aggravation. On exiting the parking structure, we spy a beautiful carousel which makes a great landmark to find our car for our return journey. 

Before we search out the Tower, coffee and a bite to eat are the first order of business as the espresso the girls had back at the ranch has worn off! On our way, we run across some beautiful art installations and statues of notable citizens of Pisa.  

GFirst up is the mural Tuttomondo painted on the wall of the S. Antonio church buildings by Keith Haring in 1989. His art started in the American suburbs has its roots in graphic comics, industrial gadgets and the informal art of Pollock. In Pisa, Haring found the perfect place to sum up his artistic experience, sending a message of universal peace to all the citizens.

Nearby is the Domus Mazziniana where Giuseppe Mazzini died on March 10, 1872. Mazzini was a Genoese propagandist and revolutionary and the founder of the secret revolutionary society Young Italy (1832). The house, a National monument since 1910, was completely razed during the Second World War and rebuilt in 1952. Today, the Domus Mazziniana is a public research and high culture institution dedicated to the study of Giuseppe Mazzini. The reproduction of the text of the Oath of the Young Italy dominates its facade. 

We also stumbled across this monument to Niccolo Pisano, master architect and sculptor of the Italian thirteenth century. It is located in the Piazza del Carmine in front of the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine built in 1325 by Carmelites.

Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de’ Galileo, commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei or simply Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer. Sometimes called the father of modern science, Galileo was born in the city of Pisa. This statue is located in the Largo Ciro Menotti in the heart of the city of the Tower.

Soon enough we found a sandwich shop/cafe to fuel up before we start wandering through town in the general direction of the Tower sticking with pedestrian only streets where possible. 

Eventually, we come across Pisa’s most famous landmark. In addition to the iconic Tower, the Piazza dei Miracoli houses the Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistery and the Campo Santo (the monumental cemetery). The medieval complex includes these four sacred buildings, the hospital and few palaces and is framed by medieval walls. 

Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa lean?

The tower was built as the freestanding bell tower of the Pisa Cathedral in 1372. The tower was doomed from the start as the ground beneath the tower is too soft on one side to properly support its weight. Gravity played its part and the tilt increased over the decades for the structure to be finally completed. The tilt continued to gradually increase until the structure was stabilized by efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

In addition, to the main attraction, there are also some interesting statues in the Piazza including this one of the shewolf Capitolina who raised the twins Romulus and Remus and symbolises the birth of Rome.  

Another interesting installation is an angel lying on its right side, with one wing in the ground, and the left arm and top of the head missing. The Fallen Angel is a bronze figure symbolizing the frailty of human life and the fine line between life and death. 

The statue of Cosimo I de’ Medici stands in the middle of Knights’ Square just in front of the Palazzo Della Carovana. Grand Duke Cosimo is represented in the robes of Grand Master, standing on a high pedestal subduing a dolphin as a symbol of his domination over the seas. The fountain, in front of the pedestal, has a basin in the form of a shell decorated with two grotesque monsters.

After checking out the Piazza and getting the requisite shots of Glenda and Elaine holding up the Tower, we find a nearby market for some retail therapy and wander a bit more before settling on Bar Centro in the Casino dei Nobli. the Casino was built in mid 18th century in the Plazza del Ponte di Mezzo. We were lucky with our timing as when the skies opened up we are undercover enjoying some salad, pasta and vino. 

After a late lunch, we wander back to our car stopping to buy groceries on the way. The trip back to our accommodations is uneventful. After a bit, we enjoy a light dinner of charcuterie and wine before calling it a night.  

Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await …

October 20, 2023

Today we arrived in Heraklion, Crete. I was here this April and toured both the Palace of the Minotaur in Knossos and the city so decided to skip this port and take a “sea day” for myself. The girls are headed into town to grab the hop on hop off bus and check out Knossos, etc.

After a nice lie in, I had a late breakfast and then hit the pool deck to catch up on my reading before heading to the cabin for a nap out of the sun. The girls regaled me with stories about their day while we were quaffing cocktails at the Champagne Lounge. A couple of Cosmos later, I headed to dinner with Glenda at La Cucina while Elaine and Linda headed to the main dining room. After a couple hours playing cards with my casino buddies I called it a night. 

Tomorrow is another day.  Adventures await…

October 21, 2023

The last port on our cruise is Santorini. Visiting this magnificent island on a cruise ship is not always ideal but today, our ship is the only one in port so the cable car won’t be crazy busy! Yay!!

Santorini’s volcano is one of the few active volcanoes in Europe. The islands that form Santorini came into existence as a result of intensive volcanic activity; twelve huge eruptions occurred, one every 20,000 years approximately, and each violent eruption caused the collapse of the volcano’s central part creating a large crater (caldera). The volcano, however, managed to recreate itself over and over again.

We’ve booked an excursion to Oia, a coastal town on the northwestern tip of Santorini. Oia has whitewashed houses carved into the rugged clifftops, and overlooks the water filled caldera. This traditional village offers charming houses and quaint narrow streets that are ideal for a stroll. Oia is home to beautiful blue domed churches, sunbathed verandas, plenty of shops, tavernas and cafes, art galleries, the ruined Oia Castle, and a million spectacular views. Our guide set us loose for around two hours of wandering, jaw dropping views and retail therapy. Here are a “few” of my favourite pics!

Exploring is hard work so we stopped off to grab a fabulous gelato before boarding the bus to go back to Fira for a bit more exploration.

The girls went for lunch and cocktails and I headed for the cable car to the old port to catch the tender boat back to the ship for the usual routine of R&R for me before getting cleaned up for cocktails, dinner and the show. Tomorrow we’re catching our flight to Rome for the second stage of our adventure; a land tour in Tuscany. Adventures await …

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. 

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…

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Today was an easy day with a nice breakfast at our hotel followed by a quick cab ride to the port. The next phase of our adventure is a seven day Greek Island cruise on the NCL Jade. Boarding was very easy and we were let loose on the ship just after noon.

We checked in at our respective muster stations and then headed to the pool deck to lounge until our cabins were ready. Soon enough our luggage was unpacked and stowed away. Linda and Glenda brought glasses of bubbles to celebrate sail away on our balcony before dinner in one of the main dining rooms. The girls had an early night and I headed to the casino to try my luck at cards. Lady Luck was not feeling overly generous so I headed back to the cabin to get some zzzs before our excursion to Lindos tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await …

Monday, October 16, 2023

Rhodes is the first stop on our Greek Island Cruise. Rhodes has a rich history replete with ancient myths and was once home to the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In April of this year, I had the chance to visit the city of Rhodes and explore the labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets in the medieval Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site but today we’re boarding a bus to Lindos, an ancient Doric town, known for its clifftop acropolis. St. Paul is said to have landed in Lindos in 58 A.D. so we’re in good company.  

After our bus ride, we are treated to our first views of Lindos, perched on a massive rock hill overlooking the bay. We make our way up through the shops and houses in the labyrinthine village to the famed archaeological site above. There was an option to take an alternate route up to the fortress by torturing one of the cute donkeys we passed in town but I am glad to report that no animals were abused in support of this blog! On the pedestrian route, there are no handrails or side rails and I’m just glad that I managed to keep off the cliff side of the path and that it wasn’t raining. Yikes, safety first people!

At the top, 5000 years of human history and life await exploration. We are greeted by the ruins of a majestic walled fortress built by the Crusaders (completed in the 15th century) on the remains of earlier defenses, both Byzantine and ancient.

Continuing up we reach the summit of the Lindos Acropolis and the remains of the small ancient Temple of the Lindian Athena from the 4th century BC. The temple is consecrated to the goddess Athena and also named for Lindia, a pre-Hellenic divinity.  The summit also boasts the Propylaea, the great Hellenistic Stoa and the Byzantine chapel of Saint John. There is also a great view of the heart shaped bay from the temple. STORY …

On the southwest side of the hill, below the Temple of Athena, is the theatre. The circular orchestra and the auditorium for the 1800 spectators were hollowed out of the the side of the hill. 

We make our way back down the path (slowly, slowly) and spend a bit of time window shopping in the little shops in the town before heading back to the bus.

On our way to the ship, we had a stop to see how the local pottery is made and buy some if we liked. Having more than enough dust collectors already, I manage to resist though the idea of having a hand painted greedy cup is quite tempting.

Back at the Old Town, Glenda, Linda and Elaine opt to explore the walled city but I’m back to the ship for a bit of lounging time as I had visited in April. After their explorations, the girls returned to the ship for a bit of lounging time before getting cleaned up for our dinner in Le Bistro. 

Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await…

October 17, 2023

Our second port is Bodrum, located in the Aegean region of Turkey. Bodrum is a beautiful port city with stunning bays, ancient historical sites, a variety of museums and some great bars and restaurants. The traditional houses are painted white with flat roofs, and nearly all of the houses in Bodrum are built in this style. The government has imposed a rule that no building can be built higher than two storeys without their permission. Because of this, the city has kept its traditional charm. Many of the houses have blue door and window frames and dating back to an old superstition that the colour blue kept scorpions away.

Bodrum is famous for the annual sailing event, The Bodrum Cup; an international event for classic sailing yachts. About 80 yachts sail 5 legs in 5 days in this sailing regatta. Many people come to the city to sail and the waterfront was a happening spot.

The focus of my excursion today is the the Castle of St. Peter located in the heart of Bodrum. The Castle was built in the 1400s by the Knights of St. John from the marble, stone and other materials from the tomb of King Mausolos, or Halicarnassus Mausoleum. The Castle boasts seven gates embellished with coats of arms and inscriptions with a variety of nationalities represented. 

The Castle is home to the Museum of Underwater Archeology. The museum contains a number of wrecks that were discovered in the Aegean, as well as a collection of ancient items from those ships, including amphora and large, copper ingots recovered from a shipwreck just offshore.

Following the castle and museum tour, the tour guide gave our group some free time to explore the market and buy things I didn’t need before heading back to the ship to lounge around the pool with a book. 

Met the girls on the pool deck before heading back to the cabin to freshen up before drinks and dinner. We’re off to see Blazing Boots tonight in the theatre before calling it a night!

Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await …

Friday, October 13, 2023

Day one of my latest adventure was all about planes, trains and automobiles! My steamer trunks and I took an Uber to the Ottawa Train Station, a VIA train to Dorval train station, a shuttle to Dorval Airport and then a long-ass flight to Athens. I’m travelling with my Aggie friends from College; Glenda from NSAC and Elaine and Linda from Macdonald College. This is our second adventure as we travelled to Iceland in October 2021 after Covid had had its way with the world. 

I met the girls (Elaine, Glenda and Linda) at the National Bank Lounge at the Dorval airport to get the party started. Some bubbles, cocktails and snacks later, we boarded our nine-hour flight to Athens. Nine hours is long in the back of the plane so we arrived pretty much sleep deprived. 

Saturday, October 14, 2023

We arrive a bit early; the airport procedures are efficient and all our luggage has arrived so our trip is off to a great start. Elaine has arranged for us to be picked up at the Athens airport by Nic, a taxi driver/tour guide that has rave reviews from her friends and family. Nic meets us at the airport and manages to squeeze our not inconsiderable luggage into the boot of his cab and we’re off to Piraeus (aka the Port of Athens) for a night at the Port Square hotel before our Greek Island cruise on the NCL Jade tomorrow. 

Our luck holds as we are able to check in to our rooms upon arrival at the hotel for a much needed shower and nap. We’d planned on a lazy day and sometimes it’s just what you need to get in shape for an adventure. 

It was close to 5 pm when we finally went to forage for food.  Nic had recommended that we head to the Mikrolimando (Small Port) area for dinner. It’s a nice walk to get the blood flowing and ensure we have a good appetite. 

Mikrolimano has been used as a port since the ancient years. Nowadays it is a lively place with a seafront promenade that attracts many visitors because of the nice sea views. Many restaurants, cafes and bars are found along the coastline. After checking out the options we chose a good fish restaurant that has a table at the window available.

We proceeded to order (and eat) waaaay too much food; Greek salads, tzatziki, saganaki (flaming feta), mussels, calamari and fried shrimp washed down with copious amount of water (lol we are showing our age!). The restaurant comped us chocolate brownies and ice cream for dessert ensuring we would waddle out.

After dinner we headed to a nearby rooftop patio (Horizon Rooftop of Senses) for an after dinner cocktail before grabbing a cab back to the hotel for an earlyish night. 

Tomorrow is another day. Adventures await …