Positive Thinking ...

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain

-Dolly Parton

Positive Thinking ...

William Wallace: Every man dies, not every man really lives.

Positive Thinking ...

Wizard of Oz: As for you, my galvanized friend, you want a heart. You don't know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable. 

Tin Woodsman: But I still want one. 

Positive Thinking ...

Vivian: People put you down enough, you start to believe it. 

Edward Lewis: I think you are a very bright, very special woman. 

Vivian: The bad stuff is easier to believe. You ever notice that? 

Positive Thinking ...

Dolly Levi: Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow. 

Positive Thinking ...

Turkey/Greece 2011 Day 4 of Many

All aboard M/V Arethusa - First time on a Curse Ship for Greg and me (We started off on a small ship only 50 travelers) - 

FYI I get queasy even when I am in the front seat of a car and since I didn't have a magic patch we were in for some trouble 

Welcome toast!!! and Dinner the Start of our lavish meals aboard Arethusa 

We sailed out of Kusadasi to Patmos - in the veil of night 

Good thing too ... I took my little white pill put my sea bands on and as soon at my head hit the pillow I was in Dreamland

Early wake up call - Breakfast starts at 6:45 and we depart at 8am to explore Patmos

Population about 2500 - They have very strict building codes so even new buildings have a very traditional look.

We visited a Holy Cave where St. John the Evangelist, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles once took refuge when exiled from Ephesus    

St. John lived in a grotto beneath the Temple of Diana for eighteen months, between 95 and 97 AD. 

It was there that he received his vision of fire and brimstone and dictated the book of Revelation. 

Then a quick ride up the hill to the Monastery

Greg Always Makes His Way to The Top 

Amazing view of the town

Short stay and we were back on the ship just in time for Bloody Mary Cocktail Lunch Hour as we sailed to Amorgos

Maybe I was too tired the first night to feel any rocking as we sailed but I was fully awake for this trip and It was a bad one 

I was feeling bad but it was lunch time so I told Greg that we should go down and try to eat something and maybe it would help with the sea sickness 

Boy was that the worse mistake of the trip so far ... I was headed into the dinning room when a man right in front of me turned to face me and throw up

Greg practically picked me up and we headed out of the room and to the open top deck. Fresh Air

There I sat for a while ... All I could think of was "This is only the first of 7 days on this ship how will I ever make it" 

Even writing about it now makes me feel a little queasy 

We made it to land ... I think I was down stairs by the door before the crew had time to put down the gangway

Land I didn't care where we where just as long as the ground stayed put.

Next All about Amorgos in Day 5 and Day 6 and ... Day??? 

Love and Laughs

Mia

Turkey/Greece 2011 Day 3 of Many

Early Wake up call ....

We are catching a ride on Pegasus (airline) Flying to Izmir to explore the ruins of Ephesus and St. John's Basilica 

Also on the Itinerary is lunch and visit to a local carpet (store) teaching facility 

We got on the flight after some seat shuffling...(long story but they where very strict on baggage weight only 44 person) Thanks to me Effie our guide was not left behind

Airplane and bus ride and we finally made it to Ephesus ... I have to say that I love traveling in May not too hot and the wild flowers were in full bloom

Ephesus - I personally didn't do much research before the trip so I was not fully aware of what was in store ... You can say I was knocked off my feet (literally as well the whole place was marble and very slick) 

Once the most important Greek cities and today one of the largest archaeological sites in the world 

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is 1 of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World

There was so much left of the city you could get a real feel of how elaborate and magnificent the builds looked and how they lived their lives so many years ago.

I am in a white shirt can you find me?

Ancient Toilets

Greg the Puppy Has to Stay Here!!

Enough Said!!

We walked from one side to the other where our bus was waiting to take us to lunch and demonstration on how rugs are made by hand

I can't stress enough on how much olive oil was in everything we ate ... but I am not complaining

Besides the olive oil the food was so fresh ... straight from the farm the veggies, the cheese, the wine, the bread baked the same day

No hormones ... no pesticides ... no artificial coloring 

Even the dyes used to color the cotton or silk were organic

 

My Favorite if I had $20,000 to spend

Where the color comes from

Last stop of the day was St. John's Basilica constructed in the 6th century its believed to be the burial site of John the Apostle

Stay turned for our SEA adventures   

   

Love and Laughs

Mia

Turkey/Greece 2011 Day 2 of Many

Day 1 eventful ... Day 2 was just as eventful or even more 

On the Itinerary for the day:

- Topkapi Palace

- Blue Mosque

- Chora Church/Museum

- Grand Bazaar

I am glad we picked OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel). They provided us with a tour guild just for Turkey (Effie by law could not give us tours in Turkey only Greece, they take their tourism very seriously) and he was a fountain of knowledge and with OAT we only have 25 in our group.

Hopped on a bus and headed to Topkapi Palace we headed their first before it got packed with people highly recommended that for any of you travelers headed that way... Amazing!!! A few must sees are the 3 or 4 rooms of gems and artifacts (Pictures not allowed inside) and the religion room that has a priest (not sure of the official title) that chats 24 hours a day 7 day a week.

Going in May everything was in bloom

Can You Count The Mosque?

Wild Cats and Dogs Everywhere!

Then we took a short walk over to the Blue Mosque ... named Blue Mosque for all the blue tiling. We had to remove our shoes before we entered because it was fully carpeted wall to wall (Greg proudly showed off his love for the toe socks). Inside was a huge open space for praying they pray 5 times a day. Pictures don't do it justice 

A quick walk around the Hippodrome to lunch at Pudding Shop Where Greg ordered a turkish coffee two very important things we learned

-one you have to tell them if they want sugar when ordering because the sugar is brewed in the coffee and can not be added after and

-second the coffee is served with the ground but don't drink them!! 

       

Lunch Time!

  Then off two Chora ... 

Chora Church was a alternative to Hagia Sophia because it was closed on Mondays. And I am so glad it was because we got to see some amazing Mosaics of the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. 

After Chora was what I had been waiting for all day the Grand Bazaar ... I know you are saying of course what woman wouldn't love a huge market of Jewelry, Rugs, Furniture, Gold, Clothes, and just about anything you could think of ... And yes I did pick up a little something that makes my hand very happy. Thanks to Greg's bargaining skills we got it for a good price =) After finding our way out of the labyrinth of 4,000 shops and countless gates of Grand Bazaar I was ready for a nap.

The day might be over but we still had the night ... All six of us dined outside on a crowed street and a few of us ordered a grand fish platter with fish we couldn't identify and all of us had wine and raki. And we ended the evening with something sweet... Hot chocolate and Baklava 

I have to say that I like turkish Baklava better then Greek Baklava ... If you are there you must taste it and try more then one they come with all different kinds of nuts =) yummy My mouth is watering just writing about it. 

Lamb Chops!!

Stay tuned for more to come

Love and Laughs

Mia