The kids have a Fall Break at St. John's. This year it was from October 29th - November 4th. Jason and I thought long and hard about what we wanted to do. What stuck out the biggest...go somewhere warm! We looked into The Canary Islands, Spain, etc. We were on a big time crunch (as usual) so there wasn't too much available when we were searching. Then...we had an idea...why not try a cruise?! We had never done a cruise and were kind of deterred from one after, a few years ago, we priced a Disney Cruise and figured out it would cost us about $14,000...what?!!
We searched the Royal Caribbean website and figured out...this might just work! We figured, for the money, it would be the best way to see a lot of places that we might not ordinarily travel to. We finally decided on one and booked it. Our cruise would take us to the following places...
Bari, Italy
Corfu, Greece
Santorini, Greece
Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
Katakolon, Greece
We also had the extra advantage of leaving from and returning to Venice, Italy. We decided to tack on an extra day at the end of the trip with a hotel stay so that we could see all that Venice had to offer.
I had to admit, I was very excited after we booked the cruise, but was a little apprehensive. After all, this would be the first time we were on a cruise. Did we know if anyone suffered from see-sickness? I guess it was a good idea I spotted the new Children's Dramamine at Target when I was home over the Summer and stocked up! See, Jason...Target shopping does pay off!
Day 1 - Flight to Venice and Boarding The Splendour of the Seas
After calming Sophie's nerves about going on another plane ride, we boarded our flight from Brussels bound for Venice, Italy. Luckily, the flight was only about an hour and a half, but the usual "you will get a drink and a snack on the flight" didn't work this time. No service was offered on the flight. I thought Sophie might have slipped into a catatonic state upon hearing this, but all was well. I distracted her with the iPad...that you Apple!!
We arrived in Venice and our car service was waiting to take us on the half hour trip to the port where we would meet up with our cruise ship. The kids were VERY impressed with our ride. In and around our "expat community" the running joke is the size of our vehicle(s). It was funny to see that even the ride from the airport to the ship added to their excitement! The vehicle fit us all, very comfortably, and it was decided that they would much rather that car. As the "would-be" driver of such vehicle, I vetoed that vote real quick!
Since we had already booked a hotel stay at the back end of our trip that would allow us to explore Venice, we decided to head straight to the ship. Everyone was excited to check it out so that decision was an easy one.
The name of our chariot was The Splendour of the Seas. The kids were mighty impressed, and were excited to board. I don't think they really knew what to expect. It was so cute to see them oohing and awing over the fact that "THERE IS AN ELEVATOR ON THE SHIP?!"
They very impressed, and felt official, because they were given their own ID card that they would have to use to get on and off the boat, check into the Kids Zone (Amen for the Kids Zone), and use to open up their Staterooms. We booked two rooms and they were right next door to each other. I would bunk with Sophie and Piper and Jason would take Liv and Cole. They were even impressed with the room, or closet should I say. It was pretty...darn...small, but it's all part of the experience, right?! After returning from dinner the kids were SO EXCITED to see the bed that magically appeared from the ceiling. I have never seen them get into their jammies so fast!
Day 2 - Bari, Italy
Bari is both ancient and modern. It was founded in 1,500 BC and eventually became an important port on Italy's southeast Adriatic coast. The first groups to reach the areas and establish a settlement are believed to have been the Illyrian who sailed across the Adriatic from the western Balkans, primarily from the regions of modern day Montenegro and Albania.
Today the city of Bari is the capital of the province by the same name in Italy's southeast region of Apulia, or, as the Italians refer to it, Puglia. The city is still an important port and industrial center having grown over the years into a metropolitan area of over 500,000 inhabitants.
There are two main sections of Bari. The first is the Old City, built out on the peninsula and known as Bari Vecchia. Centuries old, it has narrow streets and alleys, historic forts and cathedrals and of course, the old port.
The new part of Bari is referred to as the Murattiano. It was built in the early 20th century. This is the commercial and shopping area with wide boulevards that are lined with stores and businesses.
We focused our sight-seeing in the Old City.
Our first stop was to the Basilica Di San Nicola in Piazza San Nicola. The Basilica was begun in 1087 to honor and house the remains of Saint Nicola, or St. Nicolas, as we know him. The Saint, in 343 AD, had originally been buried in the town of Myra Lycia, modern day Turkey. When the Islamic Saracens took control of Myra in 1087, the remains of Saint Nicola were smuggled out and brought to Bari. The crypt was finally dedicated in 1089 by Pope Urban II. Saint Nicola is the patron saint of children, sailors and fishermen. The Basilica di San Nicola is still an important site of pilgrimage for Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians. The transfer of the Saint's remains is celebrated annually on May 9th.
We also visited Castello Svevo. It is located in Piazza Federico II di Svevia. It was begun in 1131 by Roger II, King of Sicily. The great fort was first built in the Norman style. It was destroyed in 1156. The castle would be rebuilt in 1233 by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, who was continually at war with someone, somewhere. Frederick II's imperial titles included; Kin of Sicily, King of Cyprus and Jerusalem, King of Germany and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire...and empire which was, to quote the French philosopher Voltaire, "neither holy, nor Roman, nor and empire".
During the Angevin domination, it went through several transformations, and after being acquired by Duke Ferdinand of Aragon, was donated to the Sforza family and passed to Bona Sforza, Queen of Poland. After her death, it was returned under the King of Naples and transformed into a prison and barracks.
The castle is surrounded by a moat on all sides, except the northern section, which was bordering the sea and could be accessed from the bridge and the gate on the southern side. It is currently used for exhibitions.
While we were walking back to the port look at what we came upon...
Yes, folks you ARE reading that correctly! There is a pizzeria/snack bar in Bari, Italy named...The Titty Twister. Who spotted it? One guess...yep, Jason. He just HAD to have his picture taken with it...AND...after Cole was quietly told what a "titty twister" was, on the down-low, after he asked...he needed a picture too! Apparently the apple does NOT fall too far from the tree, right?!
Day 3 - Corfu, Greece
Corfu Island, an area approximately 18 miles wide and 36 miles long, is the second largest of the Ionian Islands and, with 150,000 inhabitants, is the most densely populated. Situated in the north Ionian Sea, Corfu is the most westerly point of Greece. The greenest of the Greek Islands with lush vegetation, it is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful.
Over four million olive trees grow on the slopes of the semi-mountainous terrain, and olive oil exportation is one of the Island's largest industries. Figs, citrus fruits and wine are also produced on the Island, which is an international tourist center with tourism a large and growing Industry. Corfu is thought to be the Island mentioned in Homer's Odyssey where Ulysses was washed ashore by a storm and met the beautiful Princess Nausicaa. Shakespeare used Corfu as the setting for the play "The Tempest".
We walked through Old Town and came upon the Church of Saint Spyridon. It is named after the town's patron saint. The 16th century church is located in the center of old town and inside are many valuable icons as well as the remains of Saint Spyridon. Its bell tower is the highest spot of the town and this is the first thing that you see as the ferry approaches the island. The locals have deep faith in Saint Spyridon, who is considered the keeper of Corfu.
According to legends, he has saved the island four times from the Ottoman invasion, which is why this church is the most important religious monument of Corfu. Spyridon, or else Spyros, is very common name on the island and the local actually refer to their protector when they want to swear on their word of honor about something. Inside the church, which is located just behind Liston, there are the remains of the saint. According to the local customs, his remains are carried around the town of Corfu in a very peaceful litany four times a year to celebrate his miracles (Palm Sunday, Good Friday, August 11th, first Sunday of November). The litanies are accompanied by the local bands and they remain a strong tradition on Corfu.
While in Corfu, we also checked out the New Fort. The New Fort was constructed between 1576 and 1588 on the landward side of the town. It was built to protect Corfu from the menace of the Turkish fleet and the Ottoman Empire.
The Church of Saint Spiliotissa is situated in front of the old port and it is named also Mitropolis after the public square in which it is.
Rising over the square with its flight of steps, the church stands out for its bright color and the decoration that looks like a sun surrounding the rose window.
The Spiliotissa name comes from "spilia" that means cave and it is the name of the area so called for the presence of a cave at the foot of the New Fortress. This orthodox basilica dates back to 1577 and houses the mortal remains of Saint Teodora of Augusta. She was a Byzantine empress canonized in the 9th Century and her relics arrived in Cofu from Costantinopoli together with those of Saint Spiridonas.
Day 4 - Santorini, Greece
Santorini was the third stop on our cruise, but this one was a little different. We did not dock at a port, rather we tendered and were brought to the Island by a ferry. Santorini is said to be the most photographed of all of the Greek Islands. It is recognized by its whitewashed cliff-top villages against the vibrant blue waters. Nothing compares to seeing and experiencing it first-hand.
In 1450 BS, this volcanic island erupted forming Santorini's spectacular crescent shape. Santorini now consists of three main islands, Thira, Thirasia and Aspronisi. Originally the Island was named Thira by the Dorians, but the name was changed to Santorini, after St. Irene, during the 13th century Venetian settlement.
The ship dropped anchor off of Skala, which is 890 feet below the small town of Fira (Thira), the island's capital. It can be reached from Skala by cable car or climbing the more than 600 steps, either on foot or donkey.
Just to recap...the three options for getting to the top...
1. Walk the more than 600 steps
2. Take a cable car
3. Ride a donkey up the 600 steps
Walking was quickly vetoed..check out how far it would be...
Do you see the zig-zagged road in the middle of the picture? Yep, that would be the walking route, whether you are walking with your legs or using those of the donkey you are riding. We wanted to take the donkey's, but Liv was a little freaked out and Jason would have had to be on a donkey with Sophie or Piper AND he would have to have the stroller on his back.
Decision made...take the cable car!
The line for the cable car was much longer than that of the donkey's, but it went rather quickly and soon we were on board.
Instead of checking out a particular attraction, we decided to just walk about and take in the sights of beautiful Fira Town.
The last stop before going back down in the cable cars...ice cream, of course. Yummy goodness and then back to the boat!
Day 5 - Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
Kusadasi is one of the most popular seaside resorts in Turkey, attracting a large number of tourists each year. It has a population of approximately 50,000 and its close proximity to the many ancient cities, archeological sites, villages and parks makes it an awesome place to stop.
Kusadasi means "bird island", a name derived from the small island of Guvercin Adasi (Pigeon Island) which is now connected to the city by a causeway. It is home to a famous defensive castle built to protect against enemy attack, a monument that is easily seen as the ship sails into harbor.
We were very fortunate as we came out of the port to find a lovely cab driver who agreed to take us "all around the town" for 70 Euros. We hopped in our chariot...yes, we all fit...and off we went for a day of exploring.
We were in the van for about a 30 minute drive to all the way to the top for our first stop-
The House of Virgin Mary.
The belief that the Virgin Mary had spent her last days in the vicinity of Ephesus and that she died there, focused attention a a nun named Anna Katherina Emmerich who had lived in the late 18th century. The efforts to find the house were greatly influenced by her detailed description of the Virgin Mary's coming to Ephesus, her life, and her last home there and the characteristics of the city although she had never even been there.
As the story goes...
In 1811, Emmerich, who had dedicated her life to God, was taken ill in the nunnery and had to keep to her bed. She was hearing voices that no one else did, and was having religious visions. On December 29, 1812, as Emmerich was praying in her bed with her hands stretched out, she was suddenly shaken by a divine force; and seized by a high fever, she became deep red in the face. Just at that moment, a bright light coming from above descended toward her and when it reached her the hands and the feet of the sick woman were suddenly covered with blood as if pierced by nails. The people around the bed were stunned with amazement. It was as if she had partaken of Christs agony during the Crucifixion and had become a stigmatized nun. The doctors examining her were greatly astonished. They could not explain this within the science of medicine. A writer named C. Brentano began putting into writing the narrations that Emmerich, who getting gradually worse had become bedridden, revealed in trance after loosing consciousness in 1811.
Emmerich had seen in her visions the Virgin Mary leaving Jerusalem with St. John before the persecution of Christians had become worse and their coming to Ephesus; she had also seen that the house in Ephesus was on a mountain nearby and that the Christians who had settled there before lived in tents and caves. She said furthermore that the house of the Virgin Mary, a stone house, was built by St. John, that it was rectangular in plan with a round back wall and had an apse and a hearth. The room next to the apse was her bedroom and there was a stream of water running it. Emmerich went on as follows:
"After completing her third year here she had a great desire to go to Jerusalem. John and Peter took her there. She was taken so ill and lost so much weight in Jerusalem that everybody thought she was going to die and they began preparing a grave for her. When the grave was finished the Virgin Mary recovered. She was feeling strong enough to return to Ephesus.
After returning to Ephesus the Virgin Mary became very weak and at 64 years of age she died. The saints around her performed a funeral ceremony for her and put the coffin they had specially prepared into a cave about two kilometers away from the house".
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| THE GRAVESITE |
Emmerich narrated that at this point in her vision St. Thomas coming there after the death of the Virgin Mary cried with sorrow because he had not been able to arrive in time. Whereupon his friends not wanting to hurt his feelings took him to the cave. And she went on:
"When they came to the cave they prostrated themselves. Thomas and his friends walked impatiently to the door. St. John followed them. Two of them went inside after removing the bushes at the entrance of the cave and they kneeled down in front of the grave. John neared the coffin of which a part was protruding from the grave and unlacing its ties he opened the lid. When they all approached the coffin they were stunned in amazement: Mary's corpse was not in the shroud. But the shroud had remained intact. After this event the mouth of the cave containing the grave was closed and the house was turned into a chapel."
This place of pilgrimage visited by thousands of tourists every year, maintains its holiness for the Moslems as well as for the Christian world. People believing in the godly qualities of the Virgin Mary came here and drinking from the water believed to be sacred they make wishes in the mystic and quite atmosphere of Mount Aladag.
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| THE SPRING |
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| PRAYERS TO THE VIRGIN MARY |
We said a prayer for those whom we love, and for those that we have loved. We also lit two candles in honor of Molly and Avery.
It was a magical experience to have visited The House of the Virgin Mary. It was so quiet, even though there were hundreds of people. People from all over, many countries between us. We might have been there for many different reasons. Whether it be just for sightseeing, to pay our respects, to send out a personal prayer, whatever the reason I am glad that my family and I were there.
After leaving The House of the Virgin Mary, we got back into the car and drove down the winding roads through the Bulbul Mountains to our next stop...
Ephesus Archaeological Site
Ephesus contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Only an estimated 15% has been excavated. The ruins that are visible give some idea of the city's original splendor.
The Library of Celsus, the facade of which has been carefully reconstructed from all original pieces, was originally built c. 125 AD in memory of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, and Ancient Greek who served as governor of Roman Asia in the Roman Empire. He paid for the construction of the library with his own personal wealth, and is buried in a sarcophagus beneath it.
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| THE GATE OF AUGUSTUS |
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| ONE OF THESE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS... |
The history of archaeological research in Ephesus stretches back to 1863, when British architect John Turtle Wood, sponsored by the British Museum, began to search for the Artemision. In 1869 he discovered the pavement of the temple, but since further expected discoveries were not made the excavations stopped in 1874. In 1895 German archaeologist Otto Benndorf, financed by a 10,000 guilder donation made by Austrian Karl Mautner Ritter von Markhof, resumed excavations. In 1898 Benndorf founded the Austrian Archaeological Institute which plays a leading role in Ephesus today.
Finds from the site are exhibited notably in the Ephesos Museum in Vienna, the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk and in the British Museum.
Piper and I stayed behind, but Jason took Cole, Liv and Sophie to what is known as the most magnificent structure in the ancient city, The Great Theatre. It is the largest in Anatolia and has the capacity of 25,000 seats. The cavea has sixty-six rows of seats, divided by two walkways between the seats into three horizontal sections.
There are three sections of seats. In the lower section, marble pieces, used for restoration, and the Emperor's Box were found. The seats with backs, made of marble, were reserved for important people. The audience entered from the top.
The theatre was used not only for concerts and plays, but also for religious, political and philosophical discussions and for gladiator and animal fights.
While they visited the theatre, Piper and I got to witness a reenactment with Cleopatra. It included dancers and a gladiator battle. Piper was impressed.
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| THE PRINCESS TOOK THEIR THRONES |
The visit to the site included A LOT of walking and A LOT of history! Cole was amazed as he walked through the theatre that gladiators once fought where he stood. It is really crazy when you start to think about it. Who exactly walked all of those years ago in the same place we were walking today?
The best find of the day was found by Sophie on a little excavation of her own. She spotted it and yelled, "Look, Mommy...a heart stone!" Too cute!
Day 6 - Katakolon (Olympia), Greece
Well...let's just say that Olympia is where we were supposed to go, but it didn't quite work out that way. We were actually in the port, probably only about 10 feet away from the actual dock, but due to weather the Captain could not safely lower the gangway.
Olympia was actually the only port of call that we had a scheduled excursion. We were going to go to the place where the first Olympiad took place in 776 BC. The 5,000-acre archeological site was revived as a national park in the 1970's. Also known as the "Grove of the Sacred Altis", the landmark is also the kick-off point of today's modern Olympic games, where the Olympic flame is lit and carried by a series of runners to the hosting city.
I have to admit, at first I was really bummed. This was one port that I had researched beforehand in detail and both Cole and I were very excited to be able to got there. But...after almost a week so full of walking, sight-seeing, and MUCH...MORE...WALKING, it was kind of nice to have a day to just hang out around the ship.
Day 7 - At Sea
Because we missed the last port we ended up having two days in a row at sea. They had a lot of fun activities around the boat. While I was back at our room with Piper while she took a nap, Jason took Cole to the Adventure Club for kids, and Sophie and Liv hit the pool. There for sure was a chill in the air, but it did not deter the bathing beauties. They even got to be poolside when a bunch of other cruise-shippers competed in the "Sexiest Man on the Cruise" competition. I was not there, but I guess the guy who hammed it up for the crowd the most won. Sophie giggled through the whole thing, and couldn't wait to get back to tell me all about it.
All-in-all, we had a blast. Jason and I recently were chatting about it and said that we would for sure do one again. It's a great way to catch a lot of places, in just the amount of time you need, that you might otherwise not go to. Until next time...
