Packing is complete

Packing is complete

First stage done. \240On board first flight and bags on board. \240 Couple other hurdles ahead for the day

Stephanie getting one more deal done from the sky club in Atlanta. \240Board plane 430 pm. \240Hoping for ZZzzz. \240

Stephanie appears locked in for the next 11 hours

First impressions of Amanzoe are amazing \240

We walked the grounds this morning after a lite breakfast. \240Got some good shots. \240 We did wake up at 4 am but that is pretty good considering body thought it was 11 am. \240 Spent the middle of the day at the beach club. \240 The highlight was a sailing trip on a hobie cat. \240 Nap is in my future.

The morning started with giagias farmhouse experience. \240 We visited a traditional Greek farm , we fed the animals , groomed the horse , gathered eggs and picked tomato’s. \240Three generations of the farm greeted us. \240 The grandmother fixed us a big breakfast. \240 I played basketball we the grandson and Stephanie danced \240 \240 The family was generous, geniue and happy. \240

Afternoon at the pool. \240Chillin

Another great dinner on property and great sunset

Got on board the regent explorer really easy. \240It worked out great to return the car to the hertz at the port. \240 Ship is gorgeous pics to follow. \240 Yesterday was our final full day at Amanzoe. \240 The people there were so friendly and the service was the best I have ever experienced. \240We did go into town last night for dinner and ate at a locals place Douglas 1969 and visited the local church. (No pics)

Mykonos day. \240Spent the morning at the beach (Elia) \240and the afternoon in old town shopping. \240Our guests are all having fun.

Today was santorini . \240 I have to say Santorini is just too hard from a cruise ship. \240Won’t be back unless it is overnight. \240It is beautiful but once is enough and this was 3 times. \240

Today is Crete. \240First time here. \240This is where Stephanie grandfather was from. \240 The people are very friendly. \240 The archeological museum was very well done. \240 City center is no more than a 20 minute walk from the port. \240Palace of Knossos is this afternoon. \240 Regent continues to amaze \240 \240Service is fantastic. \240 Knossos. \240Oldest European civilization and first running water toilet, \240 oldest theater, oldest aqueduct , easy to see in one hour. \240Amazing all they have. \240First pottery wheel. Heavy use of alabaster and marble that has survived most other items have had to be re-created. The major volcano from \240Santorini destroyed the civilization not sure if it was the ash or the tsunami or the combination

I expected Regent entertainment to be lacking given the size of the ship is small but that has not been the case

Today Bodrum Turkey. \240Sail in was very serene. \240 The town was a small fishing village 30 years ago but the population has tripled in the last 10 years. \240The highlights was the marina district and St. Peter’s castle. \240Which also houses an archeological museum of things found in the sea. \240Our guide was very knowledgeable. \240 Many have occupied the castle since it was built in the 1400’s. \240 Great cooking class on board

Today is the city of Antalya. \240From the sail in you can easily see the old city and the modern growth. \240The town in 30 years has gone from 200,000 to 2.5 million. \240 We spent the bulk of the time in Perge ( ancient city that only 27% has been Excavated ). \240Then the archeological museum where you could easily see the progression of Neanderthals to Homo sapiens to modern men based on the tools they made what they were able to do with them the selection the sizes and then the addition of art and ultimately alphabet fascinating

In Rhodes Greece today. \240 We saw some different parts of Rhodes \240this time we went across the island \240to Lindos \240 \240And this time we tour toured the rebuilt palace inside the medieval walls of the city and got to see the street of the Knights of Saint John who originated from Malta

Kusadasi today. \240Went to the house that the Virgin Mary spent the last of her years in. And then we made our third trip to Ephesus. \240 With each trip a little more is excavated and it’s fascinating to see certainly the highlight of this trip is we have evidently a well-known opera singer in our group who gave us a little ditty in the amphitheater \240 The carpets I suppose they called them rugs were amazing and really good prices. My group bought 11 which evidently is a big purchase day.

Have decided to allow a day of rest. \240Skipping tender port of Dikili and The ancient city of Pergamum. \240Going to get caught on a number of work tasks. \240Both Federato and Distictive Voyages

Today is the joy of returning to Istanbul. \240 Spent 4 days here on a previous trip. \240This Is a city a 15 million residence. The city straddles the Bosphorous strait line both in Europe and Asia. The city is the 15th largest city in the world the history that surrounds this amazing city is long and rich first established around 660 BC with Greek settlers. The city briefly experienced Persian rule at the turn of the fifth century but the reach Greeks re-captured it during the Greco Persian wars the Roman emperor Constantine the great made it his imperial capital first called nova Roma and then Constantinople after himself. Its strategic location allow the city to grow in size and influence eventually becoming a beacon of the silk road and one of the most important cities for trade in history the Byzantine an ottoman architecture here is profound and three of the most beautiful Bosc in the world call this home it’s been a Turkish city since 1453 in 1930 the cities name was officially changed to Istanbul the grand bazaar largest in the world has been an operation here since 1461 and has been a major spice market since 1660. given our previous visit here both getting to the major landmarks and into some of the nooks and crannies were simply going to hit the major landmarks today do some shopping or hunting better said for a new scarf and head to the airport late this evening for our departure from this gorgeous and historic part of the world. Goodbye Grace goodbye turkey hope all get a chance to visit here someday.

Off to Paris. \240The Istanbul airport is the biggest and nicest airport I have seen.