Today Nafplion Greece

We have arrived at our first port of call. It has been a busy few days catching up on sleep, food and of course some wine.

On Tuesday (today is Thursday) we had a 12 hour day cruising to three Saronic islands, Hydra, Poros and Aegina. We purchased a few olive oil products and I bought and ate pistachio nuts. It turned beautiful and sunny as the day wore on and we very much enjoyed our time at sea and exploring on land.

Yesterday we had a wonderful transfer, arranged through the taxi and he took us by the Temple of Zues, Acropolis and the site from the first Olympic Games rebuilt to the amazing outdoor theatre today. On our way to the port of Pireaus, we talked about Greece and what it is like in Athens.

I met up with fellow CruiseShipCenters consultant, Sandy P. how fun, she and her husband had been on a river cruise and then disembarked from Oceania Riviera.

We had a seamless and effortless embarkation, no waits, no lines, brilliant with Azamara. The same day also Oceania Riviera and RCCI Navigator of the Seas were loading. I was on Navigator last fall, so fun to see her again and I enjoyed seeing the new Riviera.

Our rooms were ready and we went next to lunch and had a great chat, enjoying the hot sun. Sitting out on our veranda was also very nice. I took a few pictures.

We participated in the safety drill and met a few other agents. Then off to freshen up and meet others for dinner in Discoveries Dining Room. Our room is mid ship deck 7 and really is lovely.

At dinner we met a couple from Seattle, formerly Hawaii. Very interesting and happy time, more wine. Then off to the show, introductions to some of the entertainment crew, followed by a lively musical and dance show with 6 or 8 singers and dancers. Great orchestra accompaniment and terrific songs from musicals over the ages. The cruise director is from Toronto Canada and the future cruise consultant from Vancouver Island. I think I should make some enquiries!

Up to the Looking Glass, late night dj. There were a handful of people there, and the name of the event was Jetlaggers. Many must have been as they were not up dancing! First night at sea can be slow starting.

I must hads some caffeine in my decaf, so am back to hot water now. I did not sleep well. We put out for room service breakfast, up watching the sun rise.

Up, had breakfast and we tender in today to Nafplion Greece. More to follow.

Beautiful, wish you were here!

Pam

Hydra, Poros and Aegina

The Saronic islands cruise, 3 of the 9 in total we will visit today. First one, Hydra, has no vehicles on it. Apparently very small and we will have a short time to wander around the small port city.

Poros will be second stop after lunch, and also small.

Aegina, famous for many things Greek including large groves of pistachio nuts. I will make a purchase and eat to enjoy on the cruise back to Pireaus.

There is a few bars and a shop selling jewellery and handbags, a few t shirts and scarves on board the cruise ship.

Long day .. Just got back to hotel, about 9 pm. Sun came out today and shone brightly. Very much enjoyed the day. I recommend this one day cruise.

Going to embark on Azamara cruise on the Journey tomorrow.

Good night all,

Wish you were here.

Kalimara

Athens, rainy, early morning and off to a small one day cruise to the Saronic islands. I see a spot of blue overhead and predict hot and sunny afternoon on the sea.

As we leave the Sofitel airport hotel, we are on the highway, and on the overpass a very large Swiss airplane drives along the bridge over the road just above us. Quite the site! The sun is rising in faint pinks and blues in the cloudy skies.

Rolling hills dotted with olive trees and vineyards. Mom asked about eating olives direct from the trees and the cab driver tells us how. If cut, 15 days covered in water, changing the water daily. 30 days if not cut. Olives and grapes grown together, trees protecting vines from winter winds. All four seasons, winter being a short month or two. Some trees can get to be 300 to one thousand years old.

On the bus we joined at hotel Bretagne for our one day cruise.

In the same spot as I was just a few months ago with Steve and Sarah, Sergei, outside Plaka, the market shopping area of Athens. Off to the side, very congested apartment buildings, about half and half rented and owned. 5 million people in Athens, 11.5 in all Greece. Significant unemployment especially for young people. (Double for those under 28 years of age).

Across from the ruins. Stopping at hotels to pick up other passengers. Narrow roads congested with drivers working. Big bus navigates the turns, almost on a quarter, euro!

Lots of motorcycles and scooters are used for transport. Our driver this morning told us of the cities financial issues and housing, employment situation. Quite grim actually. Back to being a tourist and sharing my tourism dollar. Doing my bit for the Greek economy.

Taxis seem to be the only vehicles moving, the streets so narrow with small compact vehicles parked on both sides of street.

Tina is our tour guide and organizer on this bus. She speaks in Greek with the driver, such an intense language, almost angry. I see familiar signage, Shell gas stations, large BMW dealership, there must be money here in addition to the poverty and obvious graffiti. A big city that does not hold a lot of interest for me, but fun being here not too long ago and seeing the familiar.

Olympics were here in 2004 and new highway and other buildings were part of this time. Since then, paying it all back.

Athens Sofitel

No sleep, no food (although some evidence of spillage on clothes), fluid retention and exhaustion. Yup, here we are in Athens. We arrive at the airport arrivals and I see the pastel coloured fuzzy elastics attached to the wheels of my mom’s suitcase and almost squeal with delight and relief. Our luggage has made it to our destination!

My bag arrives only seconds later, with stickers from England and New York from my last cruise adventure in January.

We find a cart. On our way to the Airport Information kiosk I see out an automatic door …. Our hotel. Right there! A bit of rain is falling so we take some time to put on our jackets that we are otherwise carrying. We walk over the road in just a matter of a minute.

Greeted with service, smiles, class and grace, our luggage leaves our arms to be wheeled around by some body who gets paid handsomely, we hope, to make guests feel pampered. We have been upgraded they say … And up the elevator to our lovely room. Wood accents, white linen …. Big shower room … closet space …. We have arrived.

A wee nap, just an hour or two to catch our breath after I wander back to the airport to purchase bottled water. Showers, clothes changed, drink more water, take vitamins and apply lotions and creams.

Dressed for downstairs dinner of Greek something. I am craving the crisp veggie Greek salad and perhaps a glass or two of white local wine, off dry.

We make the choice to eat at the bar / lounge instead of the fancier restaurant. We are greeted by well dressed folk in long black aprons and hair up nicely.

Did I mention how nice people dress in Europe? Out of ten, Americans and Canadians are about a 3. As soon as we are in a foreign airport the rating up to about a 7 for slim, well dressed, fashionable, including both men and women, to travel. Shoes, bags, dressy clothes and accessories. Wait staff are about an 8 out of ten, never disappointing.

This wait staff is no exception. I love Europe for the sense of style. It speaks of caring for oneself and always looking my best. I feel like a tourist after two days in the same duds. Oh well, about to change that as of tonight and tomorrow. Still a tourist but time to feel great about myself and my sense of visiting this rich country. Dressing in a complimentary style to a famous designer internationally renowned. I want to stand out … By fitting it, in a very classy way.

We lost Mary somewhere in the baggage shuffle. I wonder if we will see her again? I will remember her kindness.

Time now to relax and sleep soundly after our lovely meal of authentic Greek salad, a cheese plate and those fabulous olives. We each ordered a glass of local white wine and they poured another compliments of the house. Yippee.

Feeling no pain and ready to sleep, I will forward this blog written on my iPad and with my complimentary Internet.

Love this hotel, love my life!

Pam

In Zurich at the airport

A few hour wait here is a delight. 6 am we arrive and lots of duty free and other stores open for our wandering pleasure. I find some stickers for my checked suitcase and a few postcards suitable to send grandsons. The last lost art of mailing postcards!

The flight from Montreal to Zurich was packed. We were one row back from bulkhead seats and beside a seat with leg room. I was loving just being close to leg room …. And said that out loud. A lovely (in every way) woman says to me, in a charming accent (turns out she lives in Athens Greece) would I like to sit there because she likes to sit with her feet up and can’t on the end. Wow. I call her saint Mary. I really enjoyed the flight and stretched right out, could see in to business class. We flew SwissAir and this was my first time.

No food choices worked for me, but I ate the cheese and salad, drank water and wine and sat back. We saw a sun set which was lovely but the sight that took my breath away was the vibrant colours of the morning sunrise as we flew over southern England. Very deep dark red to light bright blue and violet.

Getting ready to board now to Athens. I believe we have emergency exit rows for the few hour leg. We have been playing cards and drinking water. Ready for the next adventure.

Wish you were here.

Love Pam

Halifax

We are at the airport with plenty of time for the flight to Montreal. We know we are going somewhere warm. Mom notices we are the only two people in the airport wearing sandals!

I bought two more postcards of the area to send to grandsons so they have excitement of checking the post office with mom to see if news from Grammie. I wonder if I should start this? Too late, I sent two from Toronto a few days ago. I will send the Nova Scotia cards from Montreal later today before we head to Zurich on Swiss air.

It is chilly here, but you can’t really tell if its raining for the fog.

Sharing a very venti decaf skinny with soy caramel macchiato for Starbucks we wait the last few minutes preparing to board Air Canada.