Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey - Day 10 - Mediterranean Greek Isle Cruise

Kusadasi, Turkey

We had a wonderful, fully packed day in Kusadasi, Turkey!  We had read many reviews and booked a private tour with Nejat Incedogan.  He actually sent his friend Nejat Tek to be our tour guide for the day.  I see that Nejat is still working and making the rounds on Cruise Critic – I would highly recommend him when visiting any port in Turkey!  Our particular tour was for 8.5 hours and cost $58 USD per person, plus a little extra if we toured the terrace houses (which we did - $10 USD per person). This was an amazing deal and included transportation, the greatest English speaking guide, entrance fees, and lunch.  We had a 14 person van for the 12 of us, so we were very comfortable!  We started the tour with a stop at the Virgin Mary House. 

Virgin Mary House and Prayer Wall

Virgin Mary House

The House of the Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic and Muslim Shrine located on Mt. Koressos outside Ephesus.  The house was discovered following the description in writing by a Roman Catholic nun. Pilgrims visited the house, believing that the Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus) was taken to this house by St. John to mourn until her death.  The spring that runs underneath the house is said to have healing properties by those who visit and drink the water.

Ephesus Ruins and our guide Nejat

                                                           Roman Toilets

Our next stop was the ruins in Ephesus.  Ephesus was a Greek City and later a major Roman City.  The city is famous for one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis (550BC).  Unfortunately, little remains of the temple.  The ruins are a favorite international and local tourist attraction.  Within the ruins are the newly discovered terrace houses. 

Visiting the Terrace Houses

The terrace houses are also known at the ‘houses of rich’.  It tells the story of family life during Roman times.  Clay pipes ran beneath the floors and behind the walls to carry hot air and heat the houses.  The houses also had hot and cold water.  The mosaics and tile flooring show the riches of those that lived there. 

The Library of Celsus was built in honor of Roman Senator Julius Celsus (135AD).  He was a wealthy and well like ruler.  He paid for the construction of the library with his own money.  It was built to store 12,000 scrolls and serve as his resting place. 

Our group in front of the Library of Celsus

The Great Theater can hold 25,000 people!  It is one of the most famous sights in Ephesus.  The Theater was used for concerts, plays, religious, political, and philosophical discussions, and for gladiator and animal fights.  It is still used today for festivals and concerts. 

The Great Theater

Shopping outside the ruins - you could pay $1 to pose with this camel - 

we had to stop for these sheep to cross the road

Now, on to St. John’s Basilica, one of the great churches in Ephesus.  It is the burial site of St. John, apostle, evangelist and prophet. 

St. John's Basilica

The resting place of St. John                          baptismal font

For lunch, we enjoyed a buffet of traditional Turkish food.  Before returning to the port, we stopped at a ceramic shop.  It was filled with the great treasures, and several souvenirs we wish we had bought to bring home!  It was a great day!

Santornini, Greece - Day 9 - Mediterranean Greek Isle Cruise

Santorini Greece

Our 8^th day of the cruise was a sea day!  We spent time relaxing and catching up on some rest.  It has been a busy few days, and more on the way. 

The cable car that takes you up the hillside to Fira!

Santorini was tender port.  Santornini, Greece is an island in the Aegean Sea.  The island is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history.  It happened some 3600 years ago and left behind this caldera.  When you arrive by cruise ship, there are only three ways to get to the top of the island, ride a mule, take the cable car, or walk the 580 steps.  We chose to take the cable car/gondola.  The cable car runs daily from 7am to 9pm every 20 minutes and costs 3.5 euros one way.  Once you get to the top, buses run in all directions from the main depot near the central square.  We caught a bus to Oia.  Unfortunately, it was one of our only cloudy, drizzly days.  Oia has amazing architecture built into the volcanic rock on the hillside.  Oia is famous for its onion topped churches and the most beautiful sunsets in the world.   

This dog followed us everywhere around Oia!

Oia

The homes and villa were all very clean and colorful!

I would love to go back and stay here...someday!

looking back at Fira

We took the bus back to the other side of Santorini to the Santos Winery.  The winery opened in 1992.  Growing grapes on the sloped landscape makes this winery unique.  We enjoyed an afternoon of wine tasting and cheese/bread.  The view from the winery was great too!  Rather than take the bus back to the cable car, we opted for a taxi.  Despite the weather, the view and colors on Santorini were spectacular.  

Santos Winery

The view from Santos Winery.  The sunset would be
amazing from here!!!

The huge oil sheen is from a cruise ship that had
run aground several weeks before.

Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento - Day 7 - Mediterranean Greek Isle Cruise

NAPLES, ITALY

Our visit to Naples was a busy day!  Before arriving for the day, we had to switch our clocks forward one hour.  We had the entire day planned out on our own…..We walked to the main train station in Naples, Garibaldi Square.

They had this huge stand that sold fresh fruit, and the biggest
lemons you had ever seen, when we arrived in Pompeii!

It was easy to buy our tickets to Pompeii.  We bought a one way ticket, because we would take the hydrofoil back from Sorrento.  It was about a 40 minute train ride.  The train was fairly crowded.  The ladies had a seat, and the men had to stand.  When we arrived in Pompeii, we took the tour of the ancient ruin (11 euros each).  We all purchased the audio guide (extra 5 euros each), and it helped us maneuver and learn more about the destruction that took place in 79AD. 

Mt Vesuvius with Pompeii before and after...

In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted.  It is the most famous eruption and catastrophe in European history!  The mountain sent clouds of stones, ash and fumes some 20.5 miles high, and spewed molten rock and pumice a 100,000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.  An estimated 16,000 people died.  It remained undiscovered for nearly 1700 years, until 1748. 

Victims caught in the path of gases, ash and mud.

The victims caught in the path of the eruption were literally preserved almost instantly; they inhaled the hot gas and ash, flooding their lungs with fluid.  Pumice and ash would fall over the city, followed by rain.  This would turn the ash into mud and encase the bodies, natural preservation.  A lot has been learned from these discoveries.

Waiting for the train to Sorrento....

Allow 2-3 hours to tour Pompeii. After several hours, we hopped back on the train for a 30 minute ride to Sorrento.  Sorrento is a fun Italian city on the Amalphi coast, known for Limoncello, yummy lemon liquor!  After spending some time walking around, shopping, stopping for refreshments, gelato, and sightseeing, it was time to get back to the ship.  We took the Hydrofoil back to Naples, a passenger only ferry.  The trip was much faster than the train and took 30 minutes!  Although, it did cost slightly more than the train.  The train trip cost about 4 euros versus the 9 euro Hydrofoil trip.

Sorrento, Italy

Limoncello - YUM!

The view of Naples on our hydrofoil ride back to the ship!

Florence/Pisa, Italy - Day 6 - Mediterranean Greek Isle Cruise

On our drive to Florence

We hired a private driver for our day in Italy!  We booked a Florence/Pisa Tour with Paola Migliorni and Guiseppe (www.florencetour.com).  We had read many good things about them.  It would be a full day - 9 hour tour!  We would spend some time driving to Florence, then Pisa before returning to the ship. We had met a family online on our www.cruisecritic.com roll call, and they joined us on the tour.  We got a better rate with more people.  There were 16 of us all together on the tour.  We had two vans/drivers and one guide.  The cost was 82.5 euros per person plus additional money for entrance fees.

Duomo, Florence

The Duomo is the Cathedral of Florence.  It is also call Saint Mary of the Flower for the lily (symbol of Florence).  Work began on the Cathedral in 1294 and was completed in 1436.

Baptistery, Florence - known for it's bronze doors

Church of Santa Croce

The Church of Santa Croce is famous for it's inhabitants!  The remains of Michelangelo and Galileo are entombed here.

Inside the Church of Santa Croce

Galileo (1564-1642)                        Michelangelo (1475-1564)

A copy of the David (Michelangelo) in front of Piazza della Signoria

Part of our tour included entrance to the Accademia (10euros per person).  By booking the tour with our private guide, we were able to avoid the lines and were guaranteed entrance into the museum.  This museum is home to the famous David created by Michelangelo from 1501-1504.  It is 17ft tall and has amazing detail.  You are not allowed to take photos inside, so we had to take a photo of a copy outside of Piazza della Signoria.  The originally was moved from the Piazza in 1873 to protect it, and the copy was created.  

Piazza della Signoria                                       gelato

Ponte Vecchio crosses the Arno River - known for the
shops that align the bridge

If you rub the nose of this,
you will return to Florence some day!

Florence, Italy

Our Group

Santa Maria della Spina, on our way to Pisa

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Field of Miracles

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a bell tower.  The tilt began during construction due to an inadequate foundation on soft ground.  It stands just over 183 feet and has 296 stairs.  

Cathedral (Duomo)