Today was my big flight day from Athens to Barcelona! As you will find out, buying the cheapest tickets you can find on the internet does not always eventuate in smooth travelling.
I spent the morning packing my suitcase since I'd accidentally fallen asleep while packing the night before. Unfortunately because of this, I didn't have time to eat breakfast, which is a key element in this story.
I took a taxi to the airport but when trying to communicate with the non-English speaking driver I had to wave my arms around like an airplane until the driver understood where I wanted to go. Apart from that he was a fun driver who did a lot of dancing to traditional Greek music on the radio. I was really sad to say goodbye to Athens but it was a nice send-off with such a jolly Greek taxi driver.
Arriving at the airport, I was incredibly early because it seems that within the EU, you only need to check in about 1-2 hours before your flight. I arrived 3 hours before my flight was due to board, as I would have done for flying overseas from Australia. So I had a bit of a wait until the lady arrived at the check-in desk, but because of my earliness, I got to be the first person to check in and avoided a huge queue.
So I hadn't eaten breakfast, and walking through the duty free shops, I was struck with a sudden food-deprived urge to spend money. I ended up buying a fairly expensive bag but I don't regret it at all! It was my first ever duty free purchase!
I was pretty hungry by the time we boarded the plane, but I figured that instead of getting something at the airport I would eat on the plane. Mistake! My tickets were so cheap because they didn't actually serve food, and you had to pay for sandwiches or other foodstuffs kind of like when you fly with Jetstar. Unfortunately my love of budget airfares had led me to do little to no research on whether my flight actually served food. I tried to buy something but I was stuck on a window seat, and every time the cart passed by the couple next to me waved it away. So I had nothing to eat during my four hour flight either.
I forgot to mention, my flight actually went from Athens to Helsinki, and then Helsinki to Barcelona. Again, to justify the logical fallacy of choosing this flight over one that went directly to Barcelona: it was about $150 cheaper than any other I could find, and at a really convenient time of the day so I could sleep normally, and I figured why not spent an hour in Finland? The fact that I would spend 8 hours total flying didn't really occur to me. That and I think I had one beer before I bought my ticket. Don't judge me.
I arrived at Helsinki airport starving and thirsty, but felt it would be most important to check in to my next flight first before I had something to eat. However there was no one available from my airline at any desk anywhere who could check me in. I spent a good half hour running around trying to find someone, until I saw the tiniest of signs at the randomest of desks that said I could check in at my departure gate half an hour before boarding. So boo on you Helsinki airport for being confusing and non-transparent. Thankfully my flight was delayed but I only had enough time to eat a ham and pickle sandwich and buy some snacks and water for my next flight, before I had to check in and board the plane. I could have spent that initial frantic half hour looking in Marimekko or the Moomin shop!! Damn you Helsinki airport!
Moral of the story: keep it simple and book a direct flight next time.
The best thing about flying in to Helsinki was looking down onto the city from the plane. The houses looked like doll houses surrounded by a Lego forest. So cute.
The flight from Helsinki to Barcelona was pretty good because I had snacks and some cute Spanish kids to make faces at. On this flight I spent my time reading instead of worrying about when I was going to eat next. So when I arrived in Barcelona, I felt much better compared to when I arrived in Helsinki.
I took a taxi to my hostel and because my plane was late, I was a little bit late to check in. But the manager didn't seem to mind and gave me a special map to all the sights of the city, which I really appreciated.
My room is really nice, with a tv and big bathroom and a bright red feature wall. As soon as I put my things down, I flopped on the bed and turned on the tv, only to find a dubbed version of the film Ghost World! One of my favourite films. So I saw it as a good omen for my time in Barcelona.
I was doing some research on tours of the city when I accidentally fell asleep fully clothed again. I'm going to start getting ready for bed earlier because I'm starting to worry that I have narcolepsy.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Day Seventeen: One Day in Athens
So after the previous night's drunken celebrations, we all managed to be off the ship and ready with all our bags by 7am, which I think is an absolute miracle. We took the bus to Syntagma Square, where we all said our goodbyes and headed off in different directions. It was especially sad to say goodbye to the Contiki kids who I'd been with since the beginning of the month! Seems like a really long time ago that the tour began and we were just getting to know each other. We were more like a family by the end.
I only had to walk one metro station down Ermou St and then I was back in the beautiful suburb of Monastiraki. Luckily I was able to check in early at my hotel because I really needed to continue sleeping.
After waking up, I decided to wander the streets of Athens and see what I could find, which is probably my favourite thing to do in such a beautiful city. I wasn't able to wander at leisure during the tour, apart from when we had free time, so it was nice to have a whole day to myself, to discover the city for myself. The good thing about Athens is that there is something either ancient or interesting on almost every city block.
First I walked to the Ancient Agora, the birthplace of democracy, where men met to discuss politics and morality. It was also the site where Socrates did a lot of his philosophising. I was still a bit tired so I just sort of sat there for a while and took everything in.
Then I came across Hadrian's Library, not 5 minutes from where I was staying, right around the corner from the Agora. Hadrian is probably my favourite Roman emperor so I was excited to look around the place. The columns, steps and one wall are still standing, but not much else is. Still, when you think about what it would have been like as an ancient library, I would give anything to take a time machine and do some more exploring.
Then I wandered back to the Agora and to the Tower of the Winds, which is probably the oldest example of a clocktower. The friezes on the top of the tower are still intact - rare that someone hadn't stolen them for their personal collection - and depict the eight wind deities of Ancient Greek mythology that correspond to directions on a compass.
After my mini tour through Ancient Greece, I decided to do a spot of shopping at the Monastiraki flea market again. I found the most amazing vintage book/toy/homewares/war memorabilia shop where the old man owner accused me of taking photos inside the shop, which I denied because I hadn't taken any photos, and somewhere in the middle of the conversation we became the best of friends. I ended up spending ages in there just talking to this old guy about Athens, and by the end when I wanted to buy some things, he discounted them so heavily that I didn't need to haggle the price. The shop was going to close down in a fortnight and as I left, the man called out to me, "Promise me one thing - never forget me or my shop!"
Then I went to another shop that was a totally intense experience because it was full of beautiful antiques, but in piles that you physically had to sort through. I ended up finding something incredible but I'll save it for a surprise when I get back home! The owner was a bit gruff but became nicer when I asked about the cat that seemed to always stay at his feet, no matter where he walked. As it turned out, the cat's name was Mortis, and the owner saved his life a couple of years ago when he nursed him back to health after having been hit by a car. Now, Mortis never leaves his side and comes to work with him every day. I even got to pat and cuddle Mortis, which was good because now I've had my cat fix and don't feel the uncontrollable need to pat all the cats I see on the street.
My last stop of the day was a total coincidence but a very happy one! In Athens there are shops everywhere selling sandals that claim to be handmade but you can kind of tell that they aren't. There was a style I had my eye on but none of the shops ever had my size - another sign that they were mass produced somewhere that doesn't cater to above size 9. Anyway, I was walking in a new direction and saw some amazing street art down an alleyway. I walked down and took a photo, turned around, and found the sandal shop of Melissinos, the Poet Shoemaker! As it turns out, all the sandals sold in the markets are direct copies of his designs, except not handmade and way more expensive. So I had to get some sandals made while I was there, in the style I was looking for the whole time! The fact that he has made sandals for John Lennon and the rest of the Beatles didn't hurt either. I tried on the Lennon style sandal but they didn't suit me. If you want to Google this amazing shop, I got design #12, the Gallico!
After blowing my budget for the day I thought it would be best if I went back to the hotel to catch up on my emails and to collapse on my bed under the air conditioning. I got a text from two Contiki lovelies who were staying on in Athens for the night as well, and we decided to meet up for dinner in the Plaka area.
We had a huge platter of Greek delicacies at a restaurant next to another ruined ancient structure whose name I didn't catch. There was a family of cats and kittens sleeping amongst the fallen columns which we thought was so cute.
After dinner it was time to say goodbye to my friends, which was sad because we'd had so much fun together over the last sixteen days.
I headed back to my hotel and started packing up my things to get ready for my flight the next day. As has been the case for most of my trip, I fell asleep accidentally without getting changed or brushing my teeth. And that was my last day in the magical city of Athens.
I only had to walk one metro station down Ermou St and then I was back in the beautiful suburb of Monastiraki. Luckily I was able to check in early at my hotel because I really needed to continue sleeping.
After waking up, I decided to wander the streets of Athens and see what I could find, which is probably my favourite thing to do in such a beautiful city. I wasn't able to wander at leisure during the tour, apart from when we had free time, so it was nice to have a whole day to myself, to discover the city for myself. The good thing about Athens is that there is something either ancient or interesting on almost every city block.
First I walked to the Ancient Agora, the birthplace of democracy, where men met to discuss politics and morality. It was also the site where Socrates did a lot of his philosophising. I was still a bit tired so I just sort of sat there for a while and took everything in.
Then I came across Hadrian's Library, not 5 minutes from where I was staying, right around the corner from the Agora. Hadrian is probably my favourite Roman emperor so I was excited to look around the place. The columns, steps and one wall are still standing, but not much else is. Still, when you think about what it would have been like as an ancient library, I would give anything to take a time machine and do some more exploring.
Then I wandered back to the Agora and to the Tower of the Winds, which is probably the oldest example of a clocktower. The friezes on the top of the tower are still intact - rare that someone hadn't stolen them for their personal collection - and depict the eight wind deities of Ancient Greek mythology that correspond to directions on a compass.
After my mini tour through Ancient Greece, I decided to do a spot of shopping at the Monastiraki flea market again. I found the most amazing vintage book/toy/homewares/war memorabilia shop where the old man owner accused me of taking photos inside the shop, which I denied because I hadn't taken any photos, and somewhere in the middle of the conversation we became the best of friends. I ended up spending ages in there just talking to this old guy about Athens, and by the end when I wanted to buy some things, he discounted them so heavily that I didn't need to haggle the price. The shop was going to close down in a fortnight and as I left, the man called out to me, "Promise me one thing - never forget me or my shop!"
Then I went to another shop that was a totally intense experience because it was full of beautiful antiques, but in piles that you physically had to sort through. I ended up finding something incredible but I'll save it for a surprise when I get back home! The owner was a bit gruff but became nicer when I asked about the cat that seemed to always stay at his feet, no matter where he walked. As it turned out, the cat's name was Mortis, and the owner saved his life a couple of years ago when he nursed him back to health after having been hit by a car. Now, Mortis never leaves his side and comes to work with him every day. I even got to pat and cuddle Mortis, which was good because now I've had my cat fix and don't feel the uncontrollable need to pat all the cats I see on the street.
My last stop of the day was a total coincidence but a very happy one! In Athens there are shops everywhere selling sandals that claim to be handmade but you can kind of tell that they aren't. There was a style I had my eye on but none of the shops ever had my size - another sign that they were mass produced somewhere that doesn't cater to above size 9. Anyway, I was walking in a new direction and saw some amazing street art down an alleyway. I walked down and took a photo, turned around, and found the sandal shop of Melissinos, the Poet Shoemaker! As it turns out, all the sandals sold in the markets are direct copies of his designs, except not handmade and way more expensive. So I had to get some sandals made while I was there, in the style I was looking for the whole time! The fact that he has made sandals for John Lennon and the rest of the Beatles didn't hurt either. I tried on the Lennon style sandal but they didn't suit me. If you want to Google this amazing shop, I got design #12, the Gallico!
After blowing my budget for the day I thought it would be best if I went back to the hotel to catch up on my emails and to collapse on my bed under the air conditioning. I got a text from two Contiki lovelies who were staying on in Athens for the night as well, and we decided to meet up for dinner in the Plaka area.
We had a huge platter of Greek delicacies at a restaurant next to another ruined ancient structure whose name I didn't catch. There was a family of cats and kittens sleeping amongst the fallen columns which we thought was so cute.
After dinner it was time to say goodbye to my friends, which was sad because we'd had so much fun together over the last sixteen days.
I headed back to my hotel and started packing up my things to get ready for my flight the next day. As has been the case for most of my trip, I fell asleep accidentally without getting changed or brushing my teeth. And that was my last day in the magical city of Athens.
Friday, 19 August 2011
Day Sixteen
Today we visited beautiful Crete! It was the last official day of my Contiki tour, so towards the end it got quite busy. We had also booked a tour that took us away from the capital city of Heraklion and into the mountainous areas.
We started off by visiting the Monastery of the Panayia Kera in the mountains, where the Virgin Mary performed a miracle in the 1600s. During that time, Crete was invaded and occupied by the Turks who sought to suppress the Greek Orthodox church on the island. A group of Turks stole the icon of the Virgin Mary from the small church at the monastery, but it returned itself to the monastery and chained itself to a pillar, which was considered a miracle. The same icon and chains were on display inside the church to see and touch. Inside the church were also beautiful Byzantine frescoes, which were very dark because they haven't been restored. The frescoes were also missing in places because during the Turkish occupation, the locals put plaster over the decorated walls so the church wouldn't be demolished. So there were only about half of the frescoes left, but what was left was beautiful and very unlike any of the others I've seen on the Greek islands. It was much more morbid, showing people burning, being eaten by giant fish, and so on. But still beautiful in a dark way. We finished our tour by walking through the secret tunnel corridor where, during the Turkish occupation, children were taught in secret the Greek alphabet and religion.
Our second stop was my favourite of the day: the cave high up in the mountains where the Greek god Zeus is said to have been born and hidden from his father Cronus until he was old enough to defeat him and become king of the gods.
First we had to trek up to the top of Mount Ida which was an ordeal for someone wearing thongs, i.e. myself. We had the option of taking a donkey up but I chose to get some exercise instead. It took about half an hour of steep rocky paths to get to the top. Once we got there, we formed single file and approached the mouth of the cave, which seemed small until you approached the 200 steps going down. It was about 35 degrees Celsius at that time of the day and standing at the top of the steps, you could feel cold air blowing out of the cave and hitting you. Usually it's about 18 degrees in the cave but it felt freezing because I've gotten so used to hot weather. It was very refreshing though, and the cave itself was impressive with enormous stalactites and stalagmites aged roughly 2 million years old. It was another place that felt so special when you were there, and we got to throw coins in the pool of water at the bottom of the cave to pay homage to Zeus. It was eerie though because the cave's rock formations look to be a normal rock-colour when you look at them with your own eyes, but when you take a photo of them without flash, everything is bathed in an ethereal green light.
After Zeus' cave, we headed to our lunch destination which was located near some shops selling handmade goods such as weaving, pottery, carvings and candles. There was also a natural zoo with some of Crete's mountain goats inside. We had a wander around and then went to lunch which was a five course meal of traditional Cretan dishes, all incredibly delicious.
After lunch, we went to a little beach that is a favourite with the locals on the island. After walking up a mountain it was lovely to just walk right into the warm sea, which was just what we needed. We spent a couple of hours just floating in the sea and it was the perfect end to our day.
After the tour ended we didn't have enough time to see the rest of Crete. Next time I go, I will definitely be visiting the Minoan Palace of Knossos!!
After getting back on the boat we went to a series of meetings about the disembarkation schedule of the ship, and our Contiki guide helped us out with planning for getting to our various hotels and hostels tomorrow in Athens. We had a farewell dinner where we all sat together on one huge table. Later that night at the ship disco we played a massive game of Slaps, which was the drinking game and not the card game. I kept losing and having to take shots so after a couple of rounds I thought it best to retire to bed considering we had to be off the boat by 7am.
Athens tomorrow, the end of Contiki and the start of a new solo travelling adventure to Barcelona! I have had the best time on the Contiki tour, apart from being sick with the famous cough towards the end. I've met the best people who I will definitely be keeping in contact with. Missing them already.
We started off by visiting the Monastery of the Panayia Kera in the mountains, where the Virgin Mary performed a miracle in the 1600s. During that time, Crete was invaded and occupied by the Turks who sought to suppress the Greek Orthodox church on the island. A group of Turks stole the icon of the Virgin Mary from the small church at the monastery, but it returned itself to the monastery and chained itself to a pillar, which was considered a miracle. The same icon and chains were on display inside the church to see and touch. Inside the church were also beautiful Byzantine frescoes, which were very dark because they haven't been restored. The frescoes were also missing in places because during the Turkish occupation, the locals put plaster over the decorated walls so the church wouldn't be demolished. So there were only about half of the frescoes left, but what was left was beautiful and very unlike any of the others I've seen on the Greek islands. It was much more morbid, showing people burning, being eaten by giant fish, and so on. But still beautiful in a dark way. We finished our tour by walking through the secret tunnel corridor where, during the Turkish occupation, children were taught in secret the Greek alphabet and religion.
Our second stop was my favourite of the day: the cave high up in the mountains where the Greek god Zeus is said to have been born and hidden from his father Cronus until he was old enough to defeat him and become king of the gods.
First we had to trek up to the top of Mount Ida which was an ordeal for someone wearing thongs, i.e. myself. We had the option of taking a donkey up but I chose to get some exercise instead. It took about half an hour of steep rocky paths to get to the top. Once we got there, we formed single file and approached the mouth of the cave, which seemed small until you approached the 200 steps going down. It was about 35 degrees Celsius at that time of the day and standing at the top of the steps, you could feel cold air blowing out of the cave and hitting you. Usually it's about 18 degrees in the cave but it felt freezing because I've gotten so used to hot weather. It was very refreshing though, and the cave itself was impressive with enormous stalactites and stalagmites aged roughly 2 million years old. It was another place that felt so special when you were there, and we got to throw coins in the pool of water at the bottom of the cave to pay homage to Zeus. It was eerie though because the cave's rock formations look to be a normal rock-colour when you look at them with your own eyes, but when you take a photo of them without flash, everything is bathed in an ethereal green light.
After Zeus' cave, we headed to our lunch destination which was located near some shops selling handmade goods such as weaving, pottery, carvings and candles. There was also a natural zoo with some of Crete's mountain goats inside. We had a wander around and then went to lunch which was a five course meal of traditional Cretan dishes, all incredibly delicious.
After lunch, we went to a little beach that is a favourite with the locals on the island. After walking up a mountain it was lovely to just walk right into the warm sea, which was just what we needed. We spent a couple of hours just floating in the sea and it was the perfect end to our day.
After the tour ended we didn't have enough time to see the rest of Crete. Next time I go, I will definitely be visiting the Minoan Palace of Knossos!!
After getting back on the boat we went to a series of meetings about the disembarkation schedule of the ship, and our Contiki guide helped us out with planning for getting to our various hotels and hostels tomorrow in Athens. We had a farewell dinner where we all sat together on one huge table. Later that night at the ship disco we played a massive game of Slaps, which was the drinking game and not the card game. I kept losing and having to take shots so after a couple of rounds I thought it best to retire to bed considering we had to be off the boat by 7am.
Athens tomorrow, the end of Contiki and the start of a new solo travelling adventure to Barcelona! I have had the best time on the Contiki tour, apart from being sick with the famous cough towards the end. I've met the best people who I will definitely be keeping in contact with. Missing them already.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Day Fifteen
My time with Contiki will soon be coming to a close! Today we visited Santorini, tomorrow is Crete, then we finish up in Athens the next day.
Today we anchored in the sea outside Santorini at about 8am and headed downstairs to the tenderboat which would take us from the ship to the tiny harbour of the island. The cruise ship experience is all very new to me, so taking one boat from another boat to get to the harbour was pretty weird, although all the older people on the ship seemed to be totally used to it.
We started the day on Santorini with a trip to the village of Oia. Our tour guide described it as "glorious", and I have to say I agree with him. It's just like everything you see on stereotypically Greek postcards, of domed white and blue buildings clinging to the side of the cliffs. But way more beautiful in real life, especially with the perfect weather we had today. We had a chance to wander its picturesque narrow streets and have a look into lots of the little buildings (which just so happened to be shops), and just take in the spectacular view. From where we were, we could directly see the giant volcano that was responsible for sinking the majority of the island into the sea during the height of the Minoan civilisation, about 3000 years ago.
Our tour guide also seemed to be an archaeology buff and told us all about Akrotiri, which is where the extensive Minoan ruins were discovered on Santorini. On the site there are giant frescoes and many buildings, some of which are up to three storeys high, all perfectly preserved thanks to the volcano ash that covered the island (similarities with Pompei again). Looking at pictures of it now, I might have read about it in the past, but I actually had no idea it was located on Santorini so I felt a bit ignorant. It's currently closed to visitors so we weren't allowed to go there, but once the site is opened up again I definitely want to visit! It sounds like the most interesting archaeological site, especially since the buildings are so "modern" compared to other buildings of that time.
After our tour of Oia, we went to Fira to see the main town and were given the rest of the day free. We decided to visit one of Santorini's famous black sand beaches at Kamari, but we all stupidly forgot to wear our bathers so we couldn't actually swim there. But we made it past the blisteringly hot black sand and rocks to walk our bare legs into the water, which was nice. After a while we decided to have an ice cream and sit down for a bit and I had one that was baklava flavoured - so good. Then it was back to Fira on the incredibly crowded bus which was an hour late due to the way Greeks perceive time on the islands. Definitely gives me a new appreciation for public transport in Melbourne, although the two are easily comparable.
For the rest of the day in Fira we just did our usual thing, had a look in some churches, ate a gyros in the shade, and looked around the shops. The buildings in Fira are similar to Oia, but generally larger, so it feels less quaint, but the town is still very pretty. The view from everywhere was amazing, as the town sits high on the clifftop, the same as Oia. We could see our cruise ship from above which was much smaller than the other ones in the bay. We ended the day with a cold drink overlooking the bay, the volcano, and our ship.
That night we had a little Contiki cocktail party at the ship disco, and it was good to have everyone together for a drink instead of scattered throughout the different bars on the ship. Again, after two cocktails I was ready for bed. My Contiki cough is getting better but I think one solid week of drinking every night and getting up early every morning is enough for me for now. I'm still needing sleep to make up for last week.
As I mentioned before, tomorrow we're finally visiting Crete, which I am very excited about!
Today we anchored in the sea outside Santorini at about 8am and headed downstairs to the tenderboat which would take us from the ship to the tiny harbour of the island. The cruise ship experience is all very new to me, so taking one boat from another boat to get to the harbour was pretty weird, although all the older people on the ship seemed to be totally used to it.
We started the day on Santorini with a trip to the village of Oia. Our tour guide described it as "glorious", and I have to say I agree with him. It's just like everything you see on stereotypically Greek postcards, of domed white and blue buildings clinging to the side of the cliffs. But way more beautiful in real life, especially with the perfect weather we had today. We had a chance to wander its picturesque narrow streets and have a look into lots of the little buildings (which just so happened to be shops), and just take in the spectacular view. From where we were, we could directly see the giant volcano that was responsible for sinking the majority of the island into the sea during the height of the Minoan civilisation, about 3000 years ago.
Our tour guide also seemed to be an archaeology buff and told us all about Akrotiri, which is where the extensive Minoan ruins were discovered on Santorini. On the site there are giant frescoes and many buildings, some of which are up to three storeys high, all perfectly preserved thanks to the volcano ash that covered the island (similarities with Pompei again). Looking at pictures of it now, I might have read about it in the past, but I actually had no idea it was located on Santorini so I felt a bit ignorant. It's currently closed to visitors so we weren't allowed to go there, but once the site is opened up again I definitely want to visit! It sounds like the most interesting archaeological site, especially since the buildings are so "modern" compared to other buildings of that time.
After our tour of Oia, we went to Fira to see the main town and were given the rest of the day free. We decided to visit one of Santorini's famous black sand beaches at Kamari, but we all stupidly forgot to wear our bathers so we couldn't actually swim there. But we made it past the blisteringly hot black sand and rocks to walk our bare legs into the water, which was nice. After a while we decided to have an ice cream and sit down for a bit and I had one that was baklava flavoured - so good. Then it was back to Fira on the incredibly crowded bus which was an hour late due to the way Greeks perceive time on the islands. Definitely gives me a new appreciation for public transport in Melbourne, although the two are easily comparable.
For the rest of the day in Fira we just did our usual thing, had a look in some churches, ate a gyros in the shade, and looked around the shops. The buildings in Fira are similar to Oia, but generally larger, so it feels less quaint, but the town is still very pretty. The view from everywhere was amazing, as the town sits high on the clifftop, the same as Oia. We could see our cruise ship from above which was much smaller than the other ones in the bay. We ended the day with a cold drink overlooking the bay, the volcano, and our ship.
That night we had a little Contiki cocktail party at the ship disco, and it was good to have everyone together for a drink instead of scattered throughout the different bars on the ship. Again, after two cocktails I was ready for bed. My Contiki cough is getting better but I think one solid week of drinking every night and getting up early every morning is enough for me for now. I'm still needing sleep to make up for last week.
As I mentioned before, tomorrow we're finally visiting Crete, which I am very excited about!
Day Fourteen
Today we had four hours on the little island of Patmos before heading to Kusadasi in mainland Turkey. The ship docked at Patmos at 6am and a couple of us decided to quickly visit the Grotto of the Apocalypse and St John's Monastery up in the mountains.
We decided to go without a tour guide so that we could go early and avoid the crowds, and we took a taxi up because otherwise it would have taken about an hour to walk up the winding roads. It was only 30 Euros so roughly 8 each, definitely a bargain considering the tour would have cost 55 Euros each. Luckily we ended up beating the tour crowds by about fifteen minutes at each site, which was enough for us to enjoy the sites on our own before being surrounded by people and still taking everything in.
The Grotto of the Apocalypse is apparently where St John received messages from God which he then wrote for the Book of Revelations in the Bible. It was a strange feeling being there and not being a Christian, as I could appreciate it from a historical perspective, and it definitely felt very special. But it was overwhelming being eventually surrounded by pilgrims who had physically walked up the mountain and were crying and wracked with emotion at the fact that they were visiting somewhere very significant to their religion. It was very beautiful though, and the mosaic work outside the grotto was stunning.
Next we visited St John's Monastery which was further up the mountain, strategically built above the grotto. We spent some time in the church there which seemed like it was carved out of gold, if you judged by the level of decoration of the inside. A monk came out and discussed the church in Greek, and obviously we had no idea what he was saying but we listened anyway. The artwork inside and on the outside part of the church was incredibly complex, and I think it illustrated what John said would happen during the Christian apocalypse, but I didn't ask anyone about it so it might just be my interpretation. We also spent some time exploring the monastery, with its tiny doors and staircases, randomly ending up on balconies overlooking the courtyard, and finding amazing views of the town and bay below the mountain. The monastery was really lovely and also had some beautiful mosaic work of St John and of the Byzantine emperor who helped to build it.
We ended up back at the ship at around 9:30am. We weren't going to be in Kusadasi until around 2pm, so we had lots of spare time on the ship after waking up so early. After a while I got really, really bored. I'm not sure how I passed the time but I know I didn't take a nap.
So we went straight to Kusadasi and started our tour of the ancient city of Ephesus. The site was much better preserved than that of Delos (even though Delos is still my favourite), and reminded me a lot of Pompei with the stories behind the buildings. For example, the fact that there was a hidden tunnel from the library to the brothel so that men could tell their wives they were going to the library when in fact they were headed somewhere else entirely. The sculptures are so well preserved, and the huge facade of the library is so impressive. It's so tall for so old a structure, even when you consider the fact that it has been pieced back together over the years. The design is amazing and has such detail. The giant theatre was also very impressive and it was lovely and breezy at the top, after such a hot day. Again it was a strange feeling walking through history. The archaeologists are uncovering more of Ephesus every day, so it was also exciting to walk through somewhere where we have continuing opportunities to learn something new about ancient life.
After Ephesus, we were given some free time to explore Kusadasi and of course we went for a feast dinner and then some shopping. I tried the Turkish version of a shepherd's pie for lunch (delicious) and bought lots of presents for people. And after we got back onto the ship, that was the last of my Turkish experience. I definitely want to spend more time there in the future, I can think of a million more things that I want to do.
Tomorrow we'll be on the beautiful island of Santorini!!
We decided to go without a tour guide so that we could go early and avoid the crowds, and we took a taxi up because otherwise it would have taken about an hour to walk up the winding roads. It was only 30 Euros so roughly 8 each, definitely a bargain considering the tour would have cost 55 Euros each. Luckily we ended up beating the tour crowds by about fifteen minutes at each site, which was enough for us to enjoy the sites on our own before being surrounded by people and still taking everything in.
The Grotto of the Apocalypse is apparently where St John received messages from God which he then wrote for the Book of Revelations in the Bible. It was a strange feeling being there and not being a Christian, as I could appreciate it from a historical perspective, and it definitely felt very special. But it was overwhelming being eventually surrounded by pilgrims who had physically walked up the mountain and were crying and wracked with emotion at the fact that they were visiting somewhere very significant to their religion. It was very beautiful though, and the mosaic work outside the grotto was stunning.
Next we visited St John's Monastery which was further up the mountain, strategically built above the grotto. We spent some time in the church there which seemed like it was carved out of gold, if you judged by the level of decoration of the inside. A monk came out and discussed the church in Greek, and obviously we had no idea what he was saying but we listened anyway. The artwork inside and on the outside part of the church was incredibly complex, and I think it illustrated what John said would happen during the Christian apocalypse, but I didn't ask anyone about it so it might just be my interpretation. We also spent some time exploring the monastery, with its tiny doors and staircases, randomly ending up on balconies overlooking the courtyard, and finding amazing views of the town and bay below the mountain. The monastery was really lovely and also had some beautiful mosaic work of St John and of the Byzantine emperor who helped to build it.
We ended up back at the ship at around 9:30am. We weren't going to be in Kusadasi until around 2pm, so we had lots of spare time on the ship after waking up so early. After a while I got really, really bored. I'm not sure how I passed the time but I know I didn't take a nap.
So we went straight to Kusadasi and started our tour of the ancient city of Ephesus. The site was much better preserved than that of Delos (even though Delos is still my favourite), and reminded me a lot of Pompei with the stories behind the buildings. For example, the fact that there was a hidden tunnel from the library to the brothel so that men could tell their wives they were going to the library when in fact they were headed somewhere else entirely. The sculptures are so well preserved, and the huge facade of the library is so impressive. It's so tall for so old a structure, even when you consider the fact that it has been pieced back together over the years. The design is amazing and has such detail. The giant theatre was also very impressive and it was lovely and breezy at the top, after such a hot day. Again it was a strange feeling walking through history. The archaeologists are uncovering more of Ephesus every day, so it was also exciting to walk through somewhere where we have continuing opportunities to learn something new about ancient life.
After Ephesus, we were given some free time to explore Kusadasi and of course we went for a feast dinner and then some shopping. I tried the Turkish version of a shepherd's pie for lunch (delicious) and bought lots of presents for people. And after we got back onto the ship, that was the last of my Turkish experience. I definitely want to spend more time there in the future, I can think of a million more things that I want to do.
Tomorrow we'll be on the beautiful island of Santorini!!
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Day Thirteen
Day thirteen was probably my favourite day so far. Actually, lots of days have been my favourite but this has been my favourite since coming onto the cruise ship. We weren't due to land in Mykonos until 4pm, but the ship was way ahead of schedule, so we arrived at 3pm. Some of us chose to do the Delos trip, and some didn't, so I bid goodbye to my buddies and my new little tour group headed to Delos on a little boat. It only took 35 minutes to get from Mykonos to Delos and despite people warning us it would be rocky and we would get sick, I didn't feel queasy at all.
Delos is one of the islands in the Cyclades, and is arguably one of the most important sites in Ancient Greek mythology, being the place where the twins Apollo and Artemis were born. It has 1400 years of history all on the one island, which is surprising when you are there, because you would expect somewhere lush and green to support such an extended history. In actual fact, the land is near barren and impossible to farm, and water was hard to come by. It was first a place for pilgrims to come and worship Apollo, then the Romans came in and made it a tax-free trading island, so it was an incredibly busy place before it was ransacked by pirates and abandoned by everyone who lived there, which was close to 25,000 people. The island was also purified by the Ancient Greeks, which means there must be no deaths or births on the island. Pregnant women and sickly people were taken to the island of Naxos in order to give birth or die.
The tour guide we had for Delos was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and was big on having us close our eyes and imagine life as it would have existed a thousand years ago. The second best thing about touring Delos was that it is usually closed on Mondays, but the ship arranged for the island to be open by talking directly to the Greek department of tourism. So it was just our little group, all alone on the island, and it was so quiet. After visiting amazing sites like the Acropolis and Sistine Chapel which were packed to the gills with people, it was so special to be all by ourselves.
Delos is one of the sunniest places in the world (scientifically tested), and it was so hot. But I felt freezing because I had goosebumps the whole time. The mythology behind the island is fascinating and it's so weird when you're there because you can just imagine it happening.
First we were shown the main market square, and the Temple of the Delians. We saw the Terrace of the Lions, which its statues that roar towards the Sacred Lake where Apollo and Artemis are said to have been born. Inside the lake, there is one lone palm tree, which Leto is said to have held on to as she was giving birth to the twins. We were incredibly lucky to be able to walk on the lake, as it has been drained, and touch the palm tree as well. Then we stopped for a drink, and then headed towards the more modern part of the island, where all the residents stayed after the island became a trading centre. The houses and shops are so well-preserved, and in the House of the Dolphins and the House of Dionysus, there were the most beautiful mosaics on the floor, in near perfect condition. Our last stop was at the ancient theatre, where the backings of some of the seats are still intact, and are actually really comfortable to sit in. After the conclusion of our tour, we walked back through the winding ancient streets, which were designed a lot like the streets of Mykonos, back to our boat.
Even just looking at the rocky ground past the houses, you could see discarded shards of terracotta that could have been a part of a jug or bowl. The island is filled with archaeology that hasn't yet been discovered. The whole time I was overwhelmed at the fact that I was walking where Ancient Greek mythology began, and I got a bit emotional towards the end just thinking about it. Thankfully some other people did as well so I wasn't embarrassed. I actually told the tour guide how I felt and she said she feels like that every day she's there. It's a really special place.
We took our boat back to Mykonos to meet the others who had shopped up a storm while we were gone. I had plenty of time to catch up - and catch up I did - before we had a delicious gyros dinner under the windmills as the sun was setting over the sea. The island of Mykonos is known for its party atmosphere, but we didn't visit Paradise Beach where all the action happens, preferring to stay in the town and wander the maze-like streets. It really was like a labyrinth, built to confuse pirates who would regularly visit and overstay their welcome.
All-aboard time for the ship was 10pm, but to avoid traffic we ended up coming back at around 9. Then we had a couple of drinks while watching Mykonos disappear before us as the ship sailed away for the night. It was another early night for us sick individuals.
Tomorrow is the island of Patmos, and Kusadasi! I'm also doing a guided tour of Ancient Ephesus which I am really looking forward to.
Delos is one of the islands in the Cyclades, and is arguably one of the most important sites in Ancient Greek mythology, being the place where the twins Apollo and Artemis were born. It has 1400 years of history all on the one island, which is surprising when you are there, because you would expect somewhere lush and green to support such an extended history. In actual fact, the land is near barren and impossible to farm, and water was hard to come by. It was first a place for pilgrims to come and worship Apollo, then the Romans came in and made it a tax-free trading island, so it was an incredibly busy place before it was ransacked by pirates and abandoned by everyone who lived there, which was close to 25,000 people. The island was also purified by the Ancient Greeks, which means there must be no deaths or births on the island. Pregnant women and sickly people were taken to the island of Naxos in order to give birth or die.
The tour guide we had for Delos was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and was big on having us close our eyes and imagine life as it would have existed a thousand years ago. The second best thing about touring Delos was that it is usually closed on Mondays, but the ship arranged for the island to be open by talking directly to the Greek department of tourism. So it was just our little group, all alone on the island, and it was so quiet. After visiting amazing sites like the Acropolis and Sistine Chapel which were packed to the gills with people, it was so special to be all by ourselves.
Delos is one of the sunniest places in the world (scientifically tested), and it was so hot. But I felt freezing because I had goosebumps the whole time. The mythology behind the island is fascinating and it's so weird when you're there because you can just imagine it happening.
First we were shown the main market square, and the Temple of the Delians. We saw the Terrace of the Lions, which its statues that roar towards the Sacred Lake where Apollo and Artemis are said to have been born. Inside the lake, there is one lone palm tree, which Leto is said to have held on to as she was giving birth to the twins. We were incredibly lucky to be able to walk on the lake, as it has been drained, and touch the palm tree as well. Then we stopped for a drink, and then headed towards the more modern part of the island, where all the residents stayed after the island became a trading centre. The houses and shops are so well-preserved, and in the House of the Dolphins and the House of Dionysus, there were the most beautiful mosaics on the floor, in near perfect condition. Our last stop was at the ancient theatre, where the backings of some of the seats are still intact, and are actually really comfortable to sit in. After the conclusion of our tour, we walked back through the winding ancient streets, which were designed a lot like the streets of Mykonos, back to our boat.
Even just looking at the rocky ground past the houses, you could see discarded shards of terracotta that could have been a part of a jug or bowl. The island is filled with archaeology that hasn't yet been discovered. The whole time I was overwhelmed at the fact that I was walking where Ancient Greek mythology began, and I got a bit emotional towards the end just thinking about it. Thankfully some other people did as well so I wasn't embarrassed. I actually told the tour guide how I felt and she said she feels like that every day she's there. It's a really special place.
We took our boat back to Mykonos to meet the others who had shopped up a storm while we were gone. I had plenty of time to catch up - and catch up I did - before we had a delicious gyros dinner under the windmills as the sun was setting over the sea. The island of Mykonos is known for its party atmosphere, but we didn't visit Paradise Beach where all the action happens, preferring to stay in the town and wander the maze-like streets. It really was like a labyrinth, built to confuse pirates who would regularly visit and overstay their welcome.
All-aboard time for the ship was 10pm, but to avoid traffic we ended up coming back at around 9. Then we had a couple of drinks while watching Mykonos disappear before us as the ship sailed away for the night. It was another early night for us sick individuals.
Tomorrow is the island of Patmos, and Kusadasi! I'm also doing a guided tour of Ancient Ephesus which I am really looking forward to.
Day Twelve
Today the cruise ship was scheduled to arrive at Izmir at 2pm! So in the morning we had some free time to get things done such as writing postcards, a bit of sunbathing and some emailing. The ship arrived early and we were able to wander the town at our leisure, because we hadn't booked any activities for the day.
First we went to a little shisha bar by the sea. I didn't indulge because I want my Contiki cough to get better sooner rather than later. So instead I had a nice hot Turkish apple tea which helped my throat a bit.
We decided to walk into the centre of the city instead of getting a taxi or taking a ride on a horse and carriage. It was a fairly long walk but it was beside the churning waters of the Bosphorus so it was very windy, which offset the heat. This is where we observed the worst of the Turkish men who seemed to very much enjoy the effect the wind had on our skirts.
We arrived into town in about 40 minutes walk, and arrived at the main square where there was a beautiful little acting mosque. It was just about prayer time and we saw men outside the mosque washing their elbows and knees and face from golden taps and sinks.
We wandered into the main bazaar where there were many shops, but they were very modern and not the traditional type of Turkish wares that I like best. Likely because it was a local place and not catering to what tourists want. But the girls loved going into all the gold shops, since gold was fairly cheap in Izmir compared to Istanbul. I didn't buy much because not a lot took my fancy. It was just nice to wander amongst locals instead of tour groups.
Before walking back to the ship we had a bite to eat, and I had possibly the best cheese sandwich I have ever eaten, and more hot apple tea. After a while the call to prayer sounded and a whole bunch of men jumped up and ran for the mosque.
So today was a bit different because we didn't really see the sights of Izmir, we just chilled and wandered the place. I'm absolutely sure there is way more to see in Izmir that we missed, but our stopovers in Turkey are short enough (i.e. day trips) to warrant another, fuller visit later on.
We hadn't been doing much partying on the ship because we've all been sick, but that night we made an effort and went to karaoke in the ship disco. My throat was still troubling me so I didn't sing, but I was fine watching drunk people make fools of themselves. Two cocktails and I was basically asleep, so I retired to bed.
I don't think I've described our cabin in the ship. It's an inside cabin with no window, which is perfectly fine by me because I opted to pay less for it. You just have to turn all the lights on in the morning to trick yourself into understanding that the sun has come up. It's very small, I would say snug. But its smallness is good because it motivates you to get up and out to explore rather than staying in bed.
Tomorrow we're on Mykonos for the day! I also have an excursion planned for the island of Delos - very exciting.
First we went to a little shisha bar by the sea. I didn't indulge because I want my Contiki cough to get better sooner rather than later. So instead I had a nice hot Turkish apple tea which helped my throat a bit.
We decided to walk into the centre of the city instead of getting a taxi or taking a ride on a horse and carriage. It was a fairly long walk but it was beside the churning waters of the Bosphorus so it was very windy, which offset the heat. This is where we observed the worst of the Turkish men who seemed to very much enjoy the effect the wind had on our skirts.
We arrived into town in about 40 minutes walk, and arrived at the main square where there was a beautiful little acting mosque. It was just about prayer time and we saw men outside the mosque washing their elbows and knees and face from golden taps and sinks.
We wandered into the main bazaar where there were many shops, but they were very modern and not the traditional type of Turkish wares that I like best. Likely because it was a local place and not catering to what tourists want. But the girls loved going into all the gold shops, since gold was fairly cheap in Izmir compared to Istanbul. I didn't buy much because not a lot took my fancy. It was just nice to wander amongst locals instead of tour groups.
Before walking back to the ship we had a bite to eat, and I had possibly the best cheese sandwich I have ever eaten, and more hot apple tea. After a while the call to prayer sounded and a whole bunch of men jumped up and ran for the mosque.
So today was a bit different because we didn't really see the sights of Izmir, we just chilled and wandered the place. I'm absolutely sure there is way more to see in Izmir that we missed, but our stopovers in Turkey are short enough (i.e. day trips) to warrant another, fuller visit later on.
We hadn't been doing much partying on the ship because we've all been sick, but that night we made an effort and went to karaoke in the ship disco. My throat was still troubling me so I didn't sing, but I was fine watching drunk people make fools of themselves. Two cocktails and I was basically asleep, so I retired to bed.
I don't think I've described our cabin in the ship. It's an inside cabin with no window, which is perfectly fine by me because I opted to pay less for it. You just have to turn all the lights on in the morning to trick yourself into understanding that the sun has come up. It's very small, I would say snug. But its smallness is good because it motivates you to get up and out to explore rather than staying in bed.
Tomorrow we're on Mykonos for the day! I also have an excursion planned for the island of Delos - very exciting.
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