Cruise: Turkey and Greece, cont. # 18

                                       Cruise: Turkey and Greece, cont. # 18 (The End)

It's very special when we arrived early morning to an island; particularly when all was quiet and when we're the only cruise ship in port.

Serene setting

Fresh fish: Caught about thirty minutes earlier.

Fisherman plans on BBQ'ing fish for lunch. Seems like a great life-style

Walking through an island's back alleys and streets was interesting. We discovered a variety of small restaurants preparing food for lunch and dinner. All of these meats were cooking slowly over BBQ coals. Even though we just had breakfast, those wonderful smokey smells almost encouraged us want to sample everything.

On one island, we came across a beauty salon offering a unique process. Customers place their feet in the fish tank. The fish "eat" the dead skin on the feet and legs. Hmm...

                  There are many 'hide away" places offering a special eating ambiance. 

                           One of the eateries use herbs that are really fresh.

Some of the stores use cute or unique "art" as a draw to encourage visitors to browse and hopefully buy.

After a "hard day" exploring a quaint and picturesque island, it's time to rest and struggle over which unique drink works best with lunch at the pool

Although all of the ship's restaurants offer great food and selections, our "go to" place was "Sushi"

                                        Entertainment's "New Technology:" 

An evening show (Lloyd Webber's music offered Phantom, Cats, JC Superstar, etc). As part of the entertainment, the ship used a holograph and sound effects to depict Tim Rice on the stage.

Every morning we found salt crystals on the deck railing. The crew has to wash the decks down every week. Just like our place in Oxnard, we have to do the same thing except it is not just the deck, it's the entire house.

Bozcaada, Turkey 

Besides language, the main difference between Greek Islands and Turkish Islands is the minaret

                    Many of the Greek and Turkish Mediterranean islands have fortresses

                                                                        and windmills

                   We were very lucky to visit Bozcaada when it was sponsoring a 10K run

Lots of festivities: Children having fun, a small band played a national song which generated lots of enthusiastic singing and clapping and there were plenty of food stalls

As the race ended, locals gathered to enjoy the rest of the day. Notice the "older" woman (bottom right) "glued" to her laptop. "Technology" comes to Bozcaada.

                                     This island is famous for its jellies and jams

One basic difference between the Greek and

Turkish islands is the older, Turkish women

wear traditional clothes

There were many special focal points on this island

                        Another pretty restaurant and a "local delivery truck"

  

 

Surprise! Surprise! Above the orange life preserver is a string of salted fish drying in the air.

    As part of its new ecology program, the ship offers desalinized water in re-usable plastic bottles

We were disciplined enough to only consume two scoops of homemade ice cream three to four times a day.

                                    The ship celebrates the Queen's Jubilee

A selection of specialty gins, unique British beers, Fish n' Chips, Pigs in a Basket, etc. were offered along with other traditional food.

     Everyone sang Hail Britannia, God Save The Queen and Elgar's "Land of Hope and Glory" (Pomp and Circumstance). Even as Americans, if we did not know the all the lyrics, we hummed along with the famous songs. The entire event was quite moving!

The last dinner on the ship ends a wonderful and special month

The ship's captain announced that when we go through the Dardanelles, we will pass under the new and world's largest suspension bridge

                                                Wind blowing > 50 MPH

                                    It was hard to stand up and take a picture

                                                        Our last breakfast on the ship

                                                                 Yes, we ate all of it

                                                    Istanbul's Blue Mosque

                                        Istanbul's harbor and large city - 16 million people

Istanbul's ultra modern airport filled with high end stores and eateries

Okay...One more baklava for the road!

       It's always interesting to see international destinations on the airport departure signs

Signage in Muslim countries is quite different from the West. Prayer rooms at the airport come with carpets

                                    Public restrooms have "modesty" wash basins

                                                                    Flying to Paris

Many of the passengers were from mid-east countries and Africa. It was fascinating to see all of the different types of dress, see Muslim women totally covered or, perhaps only wearing a scarf that covers their head. 

Looking out from our airport hotel window we could see a rare rainbow. Considering it was June 6th (D-Day) and we were in France, maybe the rainbow was a sign of good things to come locally, nationally and for the rest of the world!

Air Tahiti Nui is our "Go To" airplane carrier for LAX to Paris travel. Besides reasonable prices, good food and service, where else can you hear Polynesian music in the restrooms? 

The Safety Messages are always fun to watch. Place carry on in a hammock rather than in the overhead compartments

                            No smoking is emphasized as we watched the "Fire Dance"

In case there is an emergency: The women were watching a hunk of a guy in the water

                                The exit doors were shown in a sand drawing

                                Paris, CDG: A Concord is staged near a runway

                            Excited about going home and seeing family and friends

                                                                Heading home

The course before the entree

                                              Guess who's a bit tired?

Our trip has sadly come to an end. Our first trip to Israel was in 1981. Our current visit brought back a flood of memories. Arlene visited Rachel's tomb.We learned a lot forty-one years ago as we did this time. However, our insights differed: We now have a better understanding about Israeli politics, behavior and interests as well as the Arab and Palestinian issues. Moving forward, we will have more clarity about what is in the newspapers and on TV.

In 1981, Jerry dove with the Israeli army in Sharm el-sheik (now Egyptian Red Sea territory). The military was cross-training and practicing underwater combat at 100 feet below the surface. 

Arlene's role was to remain on the ship with the soldier's guns and watch out for the Jordanian navy. Following the underwater combat exercises, it was Arlene's turn to check out the fish.

We tried going to the Acropolis and a nearby museum on this trip. Unfortunately, a last minute bike race closed down the city and we had to remain on the ship. Maybe there will be another time!?!?

The Greek Islands were special. For us, Skiathos was the best: quiet, not a lot of people and a place we might one to return to and stay for awhile. The above 1981 photo shows us dancing to Zorba's song with friends. It was surprising that on this trip there was only one place (a store) that played Zorba-type music. All other music played throughout Greece and Turkey was primarily current American music.

Other than "technology" (cell phones, the internet, etc.), life in many of the out of the way places hasn't changed much. It seems that the only significant change (besides technology) is that we got "a little" older.

One of the hi-lites of the trip was talking to the locals, waving to the small children, handing out unexpected Pioneer Frisbee's and seeing the smiles.

These kids never saw a video camera and were equally surprised to see themselves move and talk. Those past memories and well as the current ones will remain etched forever.