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This morning, after breakfast, we had a swim stop off of the back of the boat (of course we all waited the required 20 minutes before jumping into the water Not!). The water was warm and crystal clear. A few folks went on a kayak that was on the boat. I was hesitant to jump in, as I am a warm water girl, but it turned out to be a great experience. Afterward, we relaxed until it was time to dock in Napflion.

This island is charming. As we approached, we saw a fort in the middle of the bay. We had to gingerly dock the boat, so progress was watched by Captain Andreas, who was a lovely man. He came to the dining room daily to meet the passengers and share his experiences being a captain of tankers, and huge cruise ships. But, he found that being the captain of a large yacht like ours with fewer than 50 passengers, sallowed him to mingle and get to know each person on a more intimate level.

Across the port from our boat was a yacht that dwarfed ours. Supposedly, it is owned by a very wealthy person from the Emerates. It looked there was a landing spot for a small helicopter. Of course!!

We wandered into town a bit and saw lots of shops with beautiful linen clothes, souvenirs, hats, and more. There were some tempting items, but I am holding out for some shopping during tour riverboat cruise in Europe. After lunch, we took the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus to see the town and visit the Palamidi Fortress at the top of the mountain overlooking the town.

Once we saw the view of the town, we were amazing about how large the town was. The buildings looked very modern, mainly white-washed with red tiled roofs. Navigating the castle walkways, which had shiney cobblestones, made us very cautious. There was another way to go to the highest point, but it included almost 1,000 steps. We went the other way without the stairs, and were just fine.

Upon returning to our boat, we relaxed for a bit and decided to have an early dinner at one of the many restaurants. A number of people went on another tour to the tomb of Agamemnon. We opted not to go, but heard that one of our fellow passengers regaled everyone there with her beautiful operatic voice in the beehive shaped tomb. The accoustics were so awesome that even from a distance, you could hear Jennifer’s beautiful voice. Fortunately, one of the other passengers from our boat recorded her mini concert for all of us to experience. She may even sing again tonight after our final dinner.

Another excellent day!

After a night of tummy issues, I was exhausted. Truthfully, I couldn’t think of any food that could have triggered it, since I ate the same food as Jim and others. The crew had something that helped me, and I have been well ever since. The morning nap helped a lot, too.

The boat headed to the small mountainous island of Kythera or Kythira, without the crowds of large mega-ships. It had a quiet beach, some small shops, and some other attractions. However, we decided to stay on board to relax, and for me to re-group. Friends who visited the island said that it was charming, and low key.

While we ate lunch on the boat, it headed toward our next island, Menomvasio. This island is famous for its many Byzantine churches, good seafood restaurants, and unique food items. It is notable for being a huge rock, kind of like Gibraltar.

The sea was very choppy, as the Captain warned us it might be. In the end, the boat hardly rocked as we passed many islands in the Pelopenesse chain. We went to the uppermost deck to read, to sit on the sun deck, or in the comfortable salon that offered drinks, coffee, games, and snacks at all hours. Many of us enjoyed the quiet time.

We headed in around 6:30 PM into town, and had dinner on the island. The town was built on a hill, with the main street made of cobblestones a bit shiny and possibly slippery. After Jim’s mishap in Matera, the thought of falling again was daunting. However, we did okay. We had dinner with two of our favorite ladies onboard and learned much about each other. Dinner was pleasant and food okay.

After a short walk around, it was time to return to the boat for a wonderful sleep.

Tomorrow, we will go to Hafplion, an island on our way back toward Athens. The trip will include a swim stop, which will be good, since we haven’t had our bathing suits on as yet. The schedule said that Hydra will be another stop, which I visited in 1972. Known for its charm, it will be interesting to see how or if it has changed.

Overnight, the boat traveled to Rethymno, Crete, arriving around 8:00 AM. This is a smaller city than Heraklion, Crete’s capital city and financial center. After another excellent breakfast, we took a van, along with about 18 others, to the east side of the island to see the Knossos Castle. It dates from 2,000 BCE, but we were told that there were inhabitants there from 5,000 BCE. That is hard to believe, although there is evidence to prove this. The drive with our guide, Maria, took a little over an hour through beautiful mountains, dotted with olive trees. Although it seemed crowded, we were told that this was a good day to be there, with minimal visitors.

Walking with our guide, we could hardly hear her due to the cacophany of noise from cicadas in the trees. Sadly, although the ruins have been partially preserved, many frescos that adorned the walls have disappeared due mainly to neglect. Many of the original frescos have been moved to museums, fortunately leaving replicas at the site. This is the oldest castle in all of Europe. Still, it boasted an amazing plumbing system and many modern elements unknown in other civilizations outside of Greece.. The Greeks were far and away ahead of the Romans or Phoenicians.

The guide knew her information, but her delivery was difficult to comprehend. Maybe it was the external noise. The pictures don’t adequately give you a sense of what we saw. It is a Bronze Age archaelogical site, a major center of the Minoan civilization known for its association with the Greek myth of Theseus and the minotaur. Excavations were begun in 1900, revealing a palace that was very sophisticated, as it was built about 1600-1400 BCE, and some parts as early as 2000 BCE. The first human inhabitants probably came there from what is now Turkey in the 7th century BCE! An elaborate systems of drains, conduits, and pipes provided water and sanitation for the palace and had paved roads.

We returned to the boat around 2:00 PM and decided to have a light meal, since we were having dinner on the boat later. We enjoyed being with Kristine and Dixie, two lovely women who are traveling together from the Tyler, Texas area. Dixie’s partner of 20 years, Alan, does not travel as much as she does, and Kris has been traveling since the 1970’s, both on her own and previously with her husband, who passed away in 2017. She has touted the fun and benefits of traveling solo and recommends it to any woman who wants to experience travel in a unique way.

Once we returned to the boat, we relaxed until 6:45 PM, when we were regaled by a local dance troup, in traditional costumes, with dances common to the island. After they did their first set of dances, they changed into simple outfits and begin taking us all onto the dance floor to enjoy the music and fun. Even Jim danced to the songs you hear of typical Greek music. Everyone was smiling and laughing. We took a group picture of everyone, still with our happy faces.

At 7:30, we had dinner, which again, was delicious. Eating that late has its downsides, though. For some, it was difficult to fall asleep, especially after the complimentary ouzo cocktails. If you have never had this Greek drink, it is heavy with black licorice and ginger flavor. It is an acquired taste, at least for me. Now, if they had a red licorice flavor, I could handle that much better!

The boat left at 8:00 PM for our next destination, Kythira, traveling while we slept. Another day, another island. Every day is a new adventure!

After an overnight of travel, the boat made it to Santorini, one of the most beautiful, and beloved islands in the Cyclades chain. It is known for its whitewashed buildings and blue domes, but it turns out that there was one building I saw in Pepto Bismal pink! In my next life, I would love the white paint concession, as it would be an annuity for life!

After another incredible breakfast, we took a large tender to take around 46 of us, to Santorini, where we then boarded a bus to go into Fira, the main town. You can take a chairlift up the mountain, but our bus took us up the switchback road to the top, where the towns are located. You can see the road in the picture. How the buses maneuver the switchbacks, I have no idea.

Our first stop was a tour to Akrotiri of Thera, the amazing excavations that have been uncovered and continue to be uncovered, with Yanis, a trained archaeologist and our guide for the four hour visit. He was excellent. He gave a wonderful tour, exhibiting his vast knowledge, and participating in many of the work to unveil more and more of the history of this island.

We went to the site located in a covered building built exclusively for the purpose of protecting the ancient ruins of Santorini dating back 4,000 years. We found out that this civilization was very advanced, with a matriachal society where women had a high level of autonomy and power. the island was incredibly advanced. It had indoor plumbing (even using using bathtubs), light wells (skylights) in the homes, unique ways to store food, and the ability to make beer and wine.

Due to the geographical location of the island, the gateway from Africa Crete and beyond, it had a very prosperous economy, with many wealthy inhabitants. The island was much larger than it is now. It is actually a giant volcano, with the majority of the island below the water. In 1600 BCE, there was a catastrophic eruption, triggering tsunamis and ash fallout that blew most of the island away, leaving a crescent shape with two smaller islands (actually the center of the volcano) still evident. The bay inside of the crescent and center islands is called the caldera, with warm water that is still fed from the volcano far below. It is in the shape of a crescent. The eruption also caused the decline of the Minoan civilization on Crete, Greece’s largest island only 83 kilometers away. The area is still active, with small earthquakes regularly.

Santorini had many names, although the one that is remembered is Thera (or Thira). It was changed to its current name by the Venetians during Medieval times who wanted to honor Santa Irini (Saint Irene) referring to a church dedicated to this saint on the island.

After our tour, we went to Oia, a town near Fira, to see the iconic blue domes that you see in all the ads. It is a small, charming town, with minimal crowds. As it turned out, it is not uncommon to have three or four giant cruise ships at the island, with busloads of tourists descending on the streets. Today, there were no cruise ships in the morning, although one stopped there in the afternoon. We were fortunate to miss the busloads of people that came later in the day.

After a little time in Oia, we went to Fira to enjoy the capitol of the island, as well as have lunch. Sofia, our tour director, suggested a restaurant that offered excellent food, without a water view, at reasonable prices. Six of us found it easily and had a wonderful meal. Jim had moussaka for the first time and really enjoyed it. He is normally not an eggplant fan, but he hardly even noticed. I forgot to take a picture of it, but suffice it to say that it was presented beautifully.

Time to return to the tender for our return to the yacht. The harbor’s choppy water made the trip back to the boat challenging, as it was moving from side to side. A short time later, it was time for dinner, and it didn’t disappoint. It was Italian night and there were many choices, including chicken cacciatore, three types of pizza, tiramisu, and panne cote, not to mention salads and sides that were delicious. Our table companions were very interesting, allowing us to get to know more people on the boat.

Tomorrow, we will be in Crete, going on a tour of Knossos Castle. We planned to skip it, but after hearing more about it, we opted to go. Breakfast will have to be fairly early, as we start on the tour at 8:30. I need the sleep, since I was up for a few hours last night! Ugh!

We got up early to enjoy the morning. So far, we have been fortunate to have incredible weather, and not too hot, either. When we went down to have breakfast, some folks took the time to have a swim in the warm water off of the back of the boat. We decided to wait for our next swim stop to check out the water.

The buffet breakfast offered many choices, and all were good. The staff was very responsive and helpful, noticing when you needed a refill of coffee or other beverage, bringing whatever you needed. Sofia, our tour coordinator, provided more information about our tour today in Delos.

We will be taking a tender (small rubber boat) to Delos to meet our local guide. No one lives there, except a zillion cats, but it is supposed to be the birthplace of the mythological Apollo and Artemis. It was a prominent trading post as it grew from the 3^rd century B.C. It also had one of the first banks in all of Greece. Numerous pieces of sculpture were transferred to many museums in Greece and throughout the world. Excavations on the island began in earnest in 1873, with intensive work from 1958-1975 by the French School of Archaeology. They discovered many private homes, as well as significant pieces of ancient temples. And, the excavations continue to this day, with scaffolding erected to continue the work.

When we returned to the yacht, we had an amazing lunch, consisting of several salads, lamb chops, chicken and pork souvlaki, potatoes, grilled eggplant, swordfish, fresh fruit, and, as a perfect end to our meal, a chocolate mousse lava cake! It was very sweet, so even sharing it with Jim meant that we could only eat half or less of it. But, it was exceptional.

The exhausting tour this morning required a rest, which we happily enjoyed for several hours. When we awoke, we found that we now had internet, due to our proximity to Mykonos. Yippee! I was able to download pictures, as well as checking 50+ emails.

By 5:00 PM, we decided to take the sea taxi to Mykonos, only 15 minutes away. Mykonos has an old port, and a new port. Ships and boats now dock at the new port, requiring the sea taxi to get you to the old port and the town itself. We arrived while it was still light, noticing the crowds of women visitors in teeny bikinis with almost transparent cover-ups. I guess I should have taken some pictures of them…

We decided to stop at one of the seaside restaurants for a drink and focaccia, with marinated tomatoes or an olive tapanade. That was plenty as an evening “meal” for us. Afterward, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset and headed into town to see the shops and the clubs we heard about. Not surprisingly, we didn’t go clubbing, but I checked out the over-priced jewelry, and other items. Of course, as has become our habit, we shared a gelato (half vanilla and half pistachio). The display in this gelato shop was different than we ever saw in Italy, and truthfully, the flavor was amazing.

Time to return to the yacht, let me catch up with the blog and take advantage of the internet to add the many pictures. It was a tiring, but fun day. At midnight, the yacht heads to Santorini, our next stop tomorrow. We have a tour there to see the little towns and enjoy the sights we see in ads about the island. Sleep will come easily tonight!

We had an early morning flight from Rome to Athens, where we transferred to our home for the next week, the Harmony V yacht. This three-level boat has 25 cabins, for a maximum of 50 passengers, but there were only 48 passengers, from the Colorado, Texas, New Jersey, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, and many other places. They seem like a nice group, which will be nice to enjoy getting to know them.

Upon arriving, we were able to get settled in our stateroom, and then had the obligatory safety instruction. We hope never to use the life vest, but it is important to learn about its use. The room is fairly spacious, with a large window to enjoy the sea view. The downside is that there is only one plug in the room (nothing in the bathroom), which was sufficient when the boat was built, but not for modern time, with our many devices. After our many travels, we have learned to bring multiple ways to enable us to charge our phones, iPads, and watches, etc.

There is no WiFi on board, especially while we are moving around the sea. Perhaps we will find internet service once we are n a larger island tomorrow. We have a portable hot spot, which allows us to have access where there are cell towers, hopefully in Mykonos, our first large island stop tomorrow.

We had an opportunity to take a short nap before meeting everyone at dinner. It turned out that we had a lovely dinner at a table with two couples, who were very nice. One couple was from Melbourne, Australia, and the other was a recently retired couple from Denver. The dinner was amazing, starting with a delicious fish soup, a light salad, a choice of entree of salmon or steak (we opted for the salmon), and a cheesecake dessert. All were excellent.

Just before sunset, we cruised past a small island, Cape Sounion, that had the remnants of the Temple of Poseiden, dating from 440 B.C. Eighteen of the original forty-two columns remain, as it sits at the highest point, 60 meters above the water. There were many tourists who climbed the hill to get an up-close look. Since we didn’t dock, we just took pictures from the boat. Afterward, we enjoyed a spectacular sunset.

Around 9:30 PM, there was an opportunity to go into Kia, a small island, that looked interesting. However, we decided to pass on this visit, and it turned out that those who went said it was just okay, not a “can’t miss” opportunity. Going to bed early was a much better option, which we took gladly. Tomorrow, we go to Delos for a tour of the ancient ruins and then Mykonos to walk around and have a light dinner. No partying for us, even though it is known as the place to go to drink, dance, and have a fun time. It will be good to get online, since I am addicted!

After a short flight from Guadalajara to Mexico City, we boarded our flight to Rome yesterday. Our house sitters arrived on Tuesday from San Miguel, where they live full-time. From getting house sitters when they frequently travel, they became house sitters themselves. We know that Lola will be in good hands.

The Aeromexico flight was an easy ten hours. We enjoyed a sumptuous dinner and breakfast meal (only kidding), but upgrading our cabin to have a better meal for thousands of dollars (not enough points) to have a better meal doesn’t make sense. I have said to Jim that when we take our last long trip, it will include flying with either Business or First Class seats, just to experience the sensation!

We are tired, but not ready to take a long nap. We arrived at 4:00 PM Rome time (8:00 AM Guadalajara time) and are enjoying the hotel before we have a bite to eat and a nice sleep. We fly to Athens in the morning to pick up our “yacht” for a week in the islands. It is 80F and lovely. The Mediterranean Sea is just beyond the marina. We are delighted to be here.

We headed out for our first dinner in Italy upon returning and found just the right food for us. We shared a caprese salad (once again), and a calzone, both of which were delicious. Of course, I had an Aperol Sprintz to start this part of the adventure.

Dealing with time changes destroys your sleep patterns. Still, we managed to get some sleep, in preparation for our flight to Athens. It was a tight timeframe to get to the yacht between 2:00 and 3:00 PM, but we made it. Ah, we are ready to enjoy this part of the trip.