Mediterraneo 2007

I was just a young'un the last time I was in Europe. Fresh out of school and having completed a lackluster stint in advertising, I was feeling somewhat disenchanted, not quite convinced I had taken the right career path and uncertain of where I was headed. It was a feeling that could only be described as, for better lack of terms...shitty.

Hoping a change in scenery would impart on me some fresh direction and perspective, I spun the globe around in my room, deciding that wherever it landed was my next destination....Kazakhstan! Er...No way I was headed to that hell hole. NEXT.
London, Paris....Bright Lights, Big City.....now THAT sounded a lot more glamorous. It was a grand time that I will never forget.
That was over 10 years ago.

I was oh-so excited to go back. (This time as a slightly more secure being).
We decided to take a cruise to the Eastern part of the continent.
Why a cruise?...well, it's like more bang for the buck. How else can you take in 4 countries in 7 days?
It's not as tiring as it sounds. We even decided to lug along our 4 year old deciding he was now old enough to partake in some international adventures.
Baby Aish would have to sit this one out as the thought of entertaining a 4 year-old with a 7 month old strapped to my bosom didn't exactly mesh with my visions for a dreamy vacation.

First Stop: Venice, Italy!
This is where we flew into to catch our boat.

Venice is an architectural wonder. Instead of streets, they have a series of interconnected waterways.

A truly enchanting place that I am at a loss to even find the words to describe. If you only have 1 city in Europe to visit before you die, let it be here.

However, the city is in need of some serious restoration work as many of the buildings are decaying and decrepit.

Vaporetto- The equivalent to our blue STCUM buses that take citizens from island to island.
They squeeze you in like sardines on these things. Not a good thing especially during the morning rush hour catching whiffs of morning breath every direction you turn and nowhere to escape. Yuck.

As I roamed the streets taking in the utter beauty of the city, I shuddered to think what effect global warming and rising sea levels was going to have here.

The famous St. Mark's square. It has been the center of Venetian social life for over a millenium and has staged some of the most important religious and political events.
And yes, there are a million pigeons in this square.

Bridge of Sighs. The bridge connects the courthouse to jail. The prisoners who passed through it on their way to Big House would most likely see the beautiful sight of the lagoon and freedom for the last time. Thus, this bridge was coined Bridge of Sighs in the 17th century. Another famous landmark in Venice.

Hubby Des enjoying our gondola ride on the Grand Canal which is like the main "street" in Venice.

Pigeons getting a little too close for comfort

Venetian newlyweds. Bride is blushing but judging from the man's stiff composure, seems a tad unsure of what he has gotten himself into.

Rialto Bridge

Refreshing Gelatto treat. Pistachio (or green ice cream as Brandon refers to it)
A lot creamier than traditional ice cream.

Des having the traditional Spaghetti alla Bolognese. Simply put, spaghetti with Meat sauce.

Deciding that the only way to to fully immerse myself into local culture was to eat as locals do. Here is a typical Italian lunch of Gnocchi which I swear tasted like BUTTER. Heaven. It is actually potato based pasta and penne with tomato sauce. All pasta dishes come slathered with fresh parmesan cheese and served with a side order of veggies on a separate plate on the side.

A traditional Italian bakery

My husband ordered what he thought was a ham and cheese sandwich for breakfast one day. After a couple of bites, he said it tasted gross. The ham he had is actually proscuitto. Cured pork. It is definitely an acquired taste. Here is a display of them at a local resto.

A night out on the town in Venice. With baby Berlynn in tow. For a 7-month old, I have to say, my niece was a real trooper. I think she may have enjoyed this trip as much as I did.


Please, can I have some?

Our ship, Splendour of the Seas from the Royal Caribbean Fleet.

Ship docked

Next Stop: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia
A beautiful walled city. One of the only cities in the Mediterranean that the Venetians were unable to conquer.

A treasure of a city that I believe will be the next St. Tropez of Europe because of it's balmy weather and beautiful untouched beaches.

Memorial commemorating the war that spanned 1991-1995 and the resulting ethnic cleansing and genocide that gripped the country

Marlon with some local Croatian beauties

With Marlon pushed off the cliff, Moti moves in for the kill

Brandon posing by one of the cannons on the fort

Marlon and Des taking in the the sights

Croatian cuisine features a lot of seafood on the menu. At the entrance to every restaurant is this bowl of cheese in salt water. It is a popular appetizer before the meal is served

Next stop: Turkey

Hearing the call to prayer whilst shopping the grand bazaar of Kushadasi made me realize that I was in a truly exotic and alien place.
But then I heard Sean Paul blasting from a souped up car and realized this was a true city of contrasts. I observed no veiled women in this country.

Shrine near the entrance
to the House of the Virgin Mary. A house where she is purported to have lived out the remainder of her life. Was visited by the last 3 popes.

The house built of stone

The ancient city of Ephesus that is referred to in the Book of Revelations. It was an important centre for early Christianity as St. John the Apostle came here to spread the word as did Paul. It is the best preserved classical city of the Eastern Mediteranean.

Roman guards. This guy refused to crack even a smile. Sheesh

Making new friends in Turkey

Checking out the quality of these turkish rugs

Enjoying a sizzling plate of Turkish Goulash. . Goulash is a spicy stew of lamb, onions, red peppers, It gets its redness from paprika and a hint of chili.
Here is the cook posing with another satisfied customer.



Sampling local brew

I can't remember the name of this dessert that is sold on the roadside in Turkey. All I know is that its a really heavy piece of cake loaded with sugar. Hate to waste food but this one ended up on the roadside.

Local Turkish sweet shop selling teas, desserts and what appeared to be a million variations of Baklava

The Turkish were some of the friendliest people I had encountered on this journey. As long as you aren't American, you're okay in their books.

Next Stop: Heading south down the Aegean coast to Santorini, Greece

Santorini is a volcanic island that rose from the sea. The actual city sits atop a huge rock and the only way to get to the top of the rock is by cable car or donkey.

Poor donkey. we opted for the cable cars

Absolutely stunning views.

So many different alleys and side streets to explore

Village of Oia

Brandon enjoying a typical Greek lunch of souvlaki, fries, and of course...fresh bread.

parents

Last stop: Corfu, Greece

Local bakery where we gorged on cheese and egg danishes.

Lovebirds enjoying a strawberry milkshake

Here are a few pictures taken on the Splendour

Our stateroom that had no windows. You could be sleeping at 12 noon and still think it's 9am. Totally insulated in the bowels of the ship. If you can get a room with a view, pay the extra money. It's worth it.

Us and Mother..(with dad trying to sneak into the shot)

Dahlia and the darling of the ship..baby Berlynn

Celebration of our 5th wedding anniversary

Getting a shot with the star

One thing about a cruise is the massive amounts of food available 24 hours a day. it's so hard to resist.

Marlon and his triple threat chocolate dessert

Enjoying a berry souffle

All in all, this was a great trip. But alas, it's back to reality for me. I'll be spending the next few months daydreaming about more faraway places.
Until next time.......