Izmir/Ephesus - 1/30/2009

Our very dear Air Force friends, Debbie and Lee hosted us today, and (no surprise here) they couldn't possibly have been more gracious .. a day that will be virtually impossible to top.

Breakfast at Debbie's (or any meal for that matter) is not to be missed, and this one was positively delicious. The drive to Ephesus gave us a little more time to catch up and for Glenn and Robbie to get to know our host and hostess a little better.

Ephesus was first built around 1,000 BC and became the chief port on the Aegean with a population of about 250,000 folks. The Library of Celsus held some 12,000 scrolls and the theater would seat 24,000.

Notice the men's pay toilets. The girls thought the anatomical functionality amusing, but the guys were pretty sure that particular feature must have come in handy on a cold winter morning.

Turks are among the best salesmen in the world and, after much haggling, they almost managed to sell Glenn a "Genuine Fake Watch." In fact, they did, but Glenn decided to get his money back after discovering that the band wasn't quite big enough. Oh well, there will no doubt be more opportunities to feed our shopping addictions later.




















After another sumptuous meal at Lee's Headquarters we went to downtown Izmir and shopped at the biggest bazaar in the world. Quite naturally Debbie knew most of the 25,000 shop owners by name and knew where to get the best deals.
The girls, having contributed to the Turkish economy and feeling at least partially fulfilled, rejoined our little convoy just in time to make the boarding deadline and enjoy a beautiful Turkish sunset. Debbie and Lee, we will be forever grateful and look forward to seeing you down here in Paradise.

Athens - Poseidon's Temple - 1/29/2009

Our little Athenian tour guide was a trip in and of herself .. quite charming and entertaining. She sounded just like OOOla, the long legged Scandinavian beauty from The Producers. "Now my groooop, this is the beauuuutiful coooast of Greece." And beautiful it was.

Athens - The Acropolis - 1/29/2009

The approach to the port of Pireaus is quite scenic, a giant understatement I suppose since we are talking about the coastline of Greece here. Athens showed quite a few signs of the recent unpleasantness, but we came to see the old not the new. The Acropolis and the other antiquities nearby are about 500 years older than anything we saw in Rome. In contrast to the grandeur, scale and power we saw there, Athenian structures seem to have been built for function as well as form. Citizens gathered there to think, to learn, to share ideas, to shop and of course to criticize the government. Some things never change.

Enroute to Athens - 1/28/2009

This is what one mostly does at sea. We found the Mateus Rose, our favorite wine 30 years ago, to be a bit lacking. The Gran Reservas, on the other hand, hit the spot. Sometimes things really do get better with age, especially one's taste in wine.

This pic of Mount Etna was taken as we passed through the Straits of Messina. Mount Etna is one of the most active strato-volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of eruption. It is the largest active volcano in Europe, being about two and a half times the height of Mount Vesuvius.

This last pic was the first of many fantastic views of the Greek coast.

Roma - The Forum/Palatine Hill/Capitoline Hill/Pantheon

It's getting a little damp around the gills by now, but spirits remain high. As we looked back down the hill toward the Colosseum, I think everyone felt a bit of a chill, owing both to the historical significance of this place and the weather.











The Arch of Constantine (the first Christian Emperor) is the latest of the existing triumphal arches in Rome. It is situated between the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. It was erected to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius in 312 AD.










Further up, in the middle of Capitoline hill, stands a very impressive bronze figure on a horse thought to be Constantine. The horse is said to have been used by sculptors for hundreds of years as the definitive equine model. Apparently, Michelangelo didn't particularly care for it, but he did provide the pedestal it sits on. The one here is a copy. The original is in the Palazzo dei Conservatori nearby.


The Pantheon was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome. The generic term pantheon is now applied to a monument in which illustrious dead are buried; Raphael, for example. It is the best preserved of all Roman antiquities, and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history .. as a Roman Catholic church since the 7th century. The Pantheon is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome, and no .. they don't cover up the hole in it when it rains.