Greece and Rome

For a quick summary of our trip to Greece and Rome Jim and I would say the cruise was so fantabulous we'd do it again in an instant and we're glad we saw Athens and Rome but really don't need to go back to either city. We were surprised by the lack of care in the gardens, the ever-present graffiti -- even in the high-tourist areas, and the general trash and noise in both cities.

The cruise of the Greek Isles -- we would recommend it to everyone! We didn't do the "typical" cruise with the huge buffets and the tuxedo parties and all ... we did a "commoner" type of cruise with Easy Cruise and, though their staff was a bit confused at times and communication was poor and the tea was realllllllllllllllllly bad, the basic concept was fantastic. The ship (that holds 600 passengers) sailed whilst we slept and the daytime and evening hours were spent in each port. This is unusual for cruises that we researched. Often, you just have a couple of hours to power through a charming village and then you're back on the ship for parties and all -- not what we were looking for! So, we were able to enjoy 6 different ports -- 5 in Greece and 1 in Turkey.

Each port had it's own unique charm and, subsequently, each became our "favorite" for a different reason. Some, like Kalymnos, held a centuries-old tradition of sponge fishermen. Others, like Bodrum (Turkey), were amazingly clean and filled with friendly folks and lovely shops. Of course, history abounded in each location -- ancient ruins, Orthodox churches from the Middle Ages, statues, fountains, and ...

food ... amazing Greek food with meals always including olives, feta, fish, and sensational seasonings.

Visiting with the locals, enjoying the quaint shops, Jim's tasting of every type of coffee concoction, trying on an amazing diamond necklace that I will always remember but never again wear, walking and climbing and hiking and then resting, ... and eating ... always eating ... which made the hiking and walking a very good thing, swimming in the Aegean Sea (burrrrrrrrrr!) and sunning on the deck of a small yacht, listening to local music, and relaxing in the shade of a bougainvillea. These were the amazing moments and days of the Greek Isles.

Athens and Rome were filled with equally amazing history but crowded cafes and noisy streets and oh-so-boisterous locals and the intrusive graffiti. But, who can complain about the privilege of resting on a bench in the Sistine Chapel?!!! The fountains, art, ruins, ... profound!

The opulence of the Vatican was totally overwhelming and a bit off-putting. Throughout Greece we heard of the many statues, vases, etc. that had been hauled away centuries ago. Well, they all seem to be in the Vatican! I realize that the corrupt popes of the dark ages stole as much as they possibly could but it would seem decent for the Vatican to return some of the priceless collections to their proper locations. This is not an anti-Catholic Church statement but, rather, and anti-established/institutional church statement so please do not take offense ---
it seems obvious why so many unbelieving people are offended by "the church" in general. The money invested in the whole immense state is amazing. No question, it's beautiful and well kept and clean and well groomed and all ... but ... I question the use of funds for such seeming vanity.

I'll write more details on the Greek Isles and some charming highlights in another blog.