On Wednesday, June 18, we got up in Rome and had breakfast at the little cafe next to our B&B - a creme-filled croissant and a cappucino. My kind of breakfast. Then we were off to the major sight in Rome that was geographically closest to us: the Basilica of St. John Lateran. The nun … Continue reading Day 15 – Rome (part 2)
Tag: mediterranean cruise
Day 14 – Rome (part 1)
This was the day we disembarked from the cruise ship - not at Rome, technically, but at Civitavecchia, a town on the coast. We ate breakfast, got off the ship, took a shuttle bus to the entrance of the port, and lugged our luggage up the street to the train station. We bought three tickets … Continue reading Day 14 – Rome (part 1)
Day 13 – Naples
After our day at sea, the ship docked at Naples on the morning of June 16. We had signed up for our fourth and final shore excursion this day - a trip that involved Pompeii, a stop at a cameo company, lunch at a pizzeria, and a trip to the National Archaeological Museum (at least … Continue reading Day 13 – Naples
Day 12 – At Sea
The twelfth day of our trip was a good way to relax and catch our breath before our last two stops of Naples and Rome. From Dubrovnik to Santorini, we had had eight straight days of running around ports and trying to do and see as much as possible. But I don't regret running around … Continue reading Day 12 – At Sea
Day 11 – Santorini
The day after Rhodes, the Emerald Princess stopped at Santorini. Just like at Dubrovnik, the ship stayed offshore, and passengers were taken to land on tenders that pulled up beside the ship. Santorini is, geologically, a fascinating place, since it is what remains after a huge volcanic eruption in 1500-1650 BC. It is an archipelago … Continue reading Day 11 – Santorini
Day 10 – Rhodes
Friends, I have bad news for you. In Naples, on the second-to-last day of the cruise, something went wrong with my camera and most of my pictures from Rhodes, Santorini and Naples disappeared from my camera. I think it was the memory card that had problems. But whatever the problem was, I now have fewer … Continue reading Day 10 – Rhodes
Day 9 – Kusadasi (and Ephesus)
On June 12, we arrived in Turkey. I had never been to Turkey, or Asia, or a predominantly Muslim country before, so I was excited to get off the ship and explore. The ship docked in the modern town of Kusadasi, which is just a few miles south of the ancient town of Ephesus. We were … Continue reading Day 9 – Kusadasi (and Ephesus)
Day 8 – Mykonos (and Delos)
From Athens, the ship went east into the Aegean Sea. The next day we stopped in Mykonos, a Greek island that is part of the island group called the Cyclades. You may be getting a bit confused about locations at this point, so here is a map of our itinerary that I got from the … Continue reading Day 8 – Mykonos (and Delos)
Day 7 – Athens
During the night after Katakolon, we sailed around the Pelopponese and docked in Piraeus, the port of Athens. A long time ago, Piraeus used to be a separate town, but now it is basically part of the Athens metro area. Finally, something urban sprawl has done right. Even though we were a ways from the … Continue reading Day 7 – Athens
Day 6 – Katakolon (and Olympia)
Day six of the cruise took us to the mainland of Greece and a little "fishing" village called Katakolon. I put "fishing" in quotes because I'm not sure that anybody in Katakolon fishes anymore. We walked off the cruise ship and up the main street, and there was nothing but souvenir shops and cafes. It … Continue reading Day 6 – Katakolon (and Olympia)
Elliot Ritzema 