July 25-27 Istanbul Turkey

Because it has been so hot, I have no pictures for a couple of ports. We left the ship and walked around through typical urban Europe and returned to the ship dripping with sweat. Those were Piraeus, the port of Athens, and Kusadasi, gateway to ancient Ephesus. But we return to Istanbul, which we first visited about a year ago. Last year we visited the top spots, this time we're headed for the second tier sites.

The sail-in to Istanbul is spectacular. The Cruise Director narrated the scenery as we cruised in after lunch on the 25th. This is the old town. 

The Blue Mosque, named for the blue tiles used in the interior. Constructed in 1609-1617 it's still in use today.  It's official name is Sultanamet Camii.

Hagia Sophia, perhaps the most famous.  Built in 532-537 as an Eastern Orthodox church. In 1453 with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire it became a mosque.

Topkapi Palace, which we'll visit tomorrow. Those domes are the ovens of the kitchen which fed 4000 people daily -- like a big cruise ship.

The Golden Horn, a river separating the old town from the new town on the European side.

Sulimaniye Mosque, which we'll also visit tomorrow.

Where we berth, in the new town north of the Golden Horn. The blue roofed area in the center right would become the bane of our existence for the next two nights as our room was directly opposite it. At night it became a techno dance hall with LOUD thumping music going from 10pm to 3am. There was also screaming, which may have been singing, mixed in. Foam earplugs were necessary but not sufficient.

After we docked at 2pm we walked around the shopping mall that's part of the cruise terminal. Istanbul has built a magnificent underground cruise terminal where we were berthed.

This is the Nusretiye Camii, built in 1826. Just one of the 4000 mosques in Istanbul. 

Tophane-i Amire Sanjak Tower

Nautica down the way. We were placed at the far end of the dock, probably because we're so small.

On the 26th we took an excursion to the second tier sites. It was a long walk to the cruise terminal.

First stop was the Sulimaniye Mosque

The faithful wash before entering

A portion of the mosque that can hold 10 000 

The Roman Aqueduct still stands

The Spice Bazaar

A jewelry shop that took some of our money. Recommended by our tour guide, I hope he got a cut.

Gate of Salutation, entry into Topkapi Palace

Nature will find a way

The sultan had a great view of the Bosporus

The library didn't have many books when we were there.

 

July 21 & 22 Katakolon & Milos Greece

 Two more places that we've never visited before, but the weather is turning against us. Last week it was hot. The last couple of days have been Hot. Now it's HOT.

Katakolon is the jumping off port for visiting ancient Olympia. It's a 40-minute bus ride from the port to the archeological park. The city of Olympia was abandoned in the 6th century and forgotten. Floods from the nearby rivers buried it under 10 feet of mud. At the entrance you can see the depth to which they had to excavate to reveal the pieces of the ancient city. 

In spite of what you see here, there was no stone on top of another when the excavation began. These columns have been reconstructed from the pieces laying around. This was the gymnasium where the athletes prepared for the 5-day competitions held every 4 years.

Philipeion, dedicated to the Philips family and had statues of Philip, Alexander the Great and others. It was the only structure inside the area dedicated to a human.

Temple of Zeus, the king of the gods, to whom the athletes all paid tribute. This is but one of 36 columns that formed the outer portion of the temple.

Entrance into the stadium

Huge stadium where the competitions were held, even larger than a modern soccer pitch. It could hold 25,000 very warm people during the competitions in late July.

Temple of Hera. The first temple erected in Olympia, it was originally shared with Zeus until he got his own, much larger, temple. It is at the altar of this temple that the Olympic flame is lit and carried to all parts of the world for each modern Olympics.

 

The hike around Olympia was long and hot, but at least there was shade and plenty of places to sit and rest while the guide was explaining things.  

In Milos we took an excursion to visit the highlights of the island. First up was the beach at Sarakiniko, renowned for its otherworldly, lunar-like landscape of white volcanic rock formations.

The white rock is primarily kalin, a clay that forms half of the ingredients in Kaopectate. The ancients discovered that it was good for stomach problems and heartburn.

It was a bright, sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. The temperature was above 90F, there was no shade and the white rock reflected the sun everywhere.

Caves have formed in the rock.

 Sarakiniko is one of the most photographed landscapes in the Agean. Not your typical sandy beach, but there were hundreds of people flocking to it. Parking was tightly packed and it was a struggle to get the bus in and out.

After Sarakiniko the tour continued to Plaka, the biggest town on the island. However, the bus can't get into the city, so there was a 500 meter uphill climb from the buses' closest approach. And it was getting hotter. We called it quits at this point and took a taxi back to the pier and tendered back to our delightfully air conditioned room aboard the ship. Tomorrow's visit to Corinth from the port at Athens is looking unlikely as Europe is under a heat dome just the US.
 

July 20 Corfu Greece

 Yet another new town. We got to dock here, and took a shuttle bus into the old town. The shuttle stop was at the Old Fortress, protecting the city from seaborne invaders.

Walking into the old city

St John's Church, I think

An orthodox church distributing loaves of bread as communion(?).

People's creativity always amazes me -- even in Disney Font

St Spyridon Church, I think

This orthodox church looks very Buddhist with the candles in a sandbox outside

Museum of Asian Art, which we did not visit

A tucked away beach setting just below the museum. One of the ship's entertainers said she was there. 

Back to the Old Fortress

Back at the ship, the MSC Fantasia was docked on the other side of the pier. Approaching on the bus from the cruise terminal Nautica looked like one of Fantasia's lifeboats.