The second one is also a 14 night
cruise, and on this one there will be 5 days at sea, the rest of the time will
be spent visiting ports. The lovely part
is that I’ll be joined by lifelong friends for the 2 upcoming cruises. This is
my first time taking them back-to-back...will let you know how that works out.
The first stop on this 2nd cruise from Rome, is Valetta, Malta.
This will be my
second visit to Malta. It is beautiful, and a delight to tour, people are warm,
and friendly, filled with history, and natural beauty, it is an amazing place
to visit. We’ll stop to see the Hagar Qim Temples, that date back to 3600 BC and described by the World Heritage
Sites committee as "unique architectural masterpieces". This tour
includes a lunch at a local resort in
Golden Sands. We’ll visit the ancient city of Mdina, where St.
Paul is said to have lived after being shipwrecked on the Islands in 60 A.D. Tour
includes a visit to the crafts village in Ta’ Qali, filled with handmade items
by local artisans.
Piraeus, the port of Athens.
I have been to Athens before, and have climbed the stairs to the Acropolis,
the last time was in 2014. For this
tour, I opted for a walking excursion that will end in the Plaka, the touristy
street, filled with cafes, restaurants, and gift shops. This tour includes a
visit to the marble
Panathenaic Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympic Games held in 1896.
Ephesus, Turkey.
This one is a repeat visit as well, but the ruins are amazing, and well
worth multiple visits. I’ve extended
this tour to visit the Magnesia Gate,
the once-public steam baths of Scholastica, and Temple of Hadrian, the Great
Theatre, one of the largest theaters in antiquity, and the Arcadian Way, the
main street of Roman-era Ephesus, it is
reputed that Mark Antony and Cleopatra once rode in procession. The tour will
end with lunch at Cittantica Ephesus Park. I always look forward to sampling
the local cuisine.
Mykonos, Greece
is next.
I have visited
Mykonos before, but instead of touring the Island, I took an excursion to
Delos, an island about 45 minutes by ferry from Mykonos. Delos is an
architectural site, filled with amazing ruins, it is an ongoing research
facility, and a marvel to behold. The only people allowed to live on the island
are the archeologists, and security staff. There is a museum on site, and the
ferry brings the tourists in the morning and picks them in the afternoon. The
winds can be quite brutal, and loud as they whip up in fury. The whole island
is a magnificent ruin, and not to be missed. I may repost my Delos blog-it is
unique.
This time I’ll
spend the day in Mykonos, and hopefully find the wonderful Windmills, and stop
for a cup of Greek coffee in one of the many cafes. The ship docks within walking distance of the
center of town. The main tourist street is along the shore, with water lapping
against the stones, the souvenir shops lure you in, and for me a cafe and
delicious Greek coffee always beckon.
Haifa, Israel
I lived in Haifa
many, many years ago, and this will be an interesting visit. The school I
attended is still there, walled in, high atop Mt. Carmel. The tour includes a
visit to the magnificent topiaries in
Haifa's Baha'i gardens, that were built on 19 terraces, and I hope to enjoy the
panoramic city views from atop Mount Carmel. That should bring back a few memories.
Ashdod, the port
of Jerusalem, we dock overnight.
The first day I
booked a long 10 hour tour that will take me to Masada, and the Dead Sea, said
to be the lowest point on earth. I have never been to Masada, and am really
looking forward to the tour. Since it’s such a long day, they have to feed us,
and lunch will be provided by one of the resorts in the area, and it will be Mediterranean
fare with the Dead Sea as a backdrop.
The second day in Jerusalem will be spent in the city of Jerusalem.
The tour is called Eternal Jerusalem, all the key points of the ancient
city will be covered, visit will include Yad VeShem Holocaust Museum, the Children's Memorial, and of course there
is a stop at the Jewish quarter of the
Old City, the Western Wall, and the Tomb of King David.
Last stop on this cruise is Katakolon, Greece
Katakolon is rather small, and
offers a few of the customary tourist trinkets, but its main claim is that it
is the getaway to Ancient Olympia, the site of the 1st Olympics in Greece. The
ruins of the temples of Hera and Zeus-hopefully some of the Greek Mythology I read
ages ago, will come back to me. The tour
will end will local snacks and Greek Folk
dances.
We again end in Rome, and the last cruise in this itinerary is the
transatlantic one, it will take me back to Florence, Italy, Provence, France,
Barcelona, and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The excursions will not be repeated, I
selected different places to visit, Europe is rich with history, there is so
much to see that it is not a problem to revisit. The last stop will be in Tenerife, Canary Islands. We cross the
Atlantic, and spend 7 days at sea, relaxing before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The best part, there is no jet lag, the time is adjusted daily while at sea.
Cheers,
Margot
Justes
Blood Art
A Fire Within
A Hotel in Paris
A Hotel in Bath
A Hotel in Venice
www.mjustes.com
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