We left the Athens airport at 1 pm or so local time. We arrived in NYC - JFK airport - around 4 in the afternoon. Our flight to Orlando was due to leave at 7, but in fact due to first weather, then the crew being over hours and having to leave, we didn't take off until nearly 3 am!! We arrived in Orlando near dawn, rented our car, and headed home.
/whew
Today was our last sea day. We spent it packing, playing Bingo (all told our group of four won more than $600 over the course of the trip), and enjoying our last show of the trip. Here you can see the folks who sat with us at dinner every night: Chuck and Freda at the front, Marc, Me, Bill and Lydia at the back. We enjoyed several after dinner shows together as a group, always in these great seats at the center back of the show room, right in front of the bar where the very reliable Urbano provided Marc and I with our nightly cocktail (always something frozen and yummy).
/sniff
We were sad to be done with our trip but every so glad we got the chance to go.
We started our private tour of Istanbul - all four of us in a minivan, with a driver and guide - at the Hippodrome of Constantinople looking at the obelisks brought there by sea (including one whose bottom half was sunk during the crossing, leaving us with half-an-obelisk now). Next we moved to the "Blue Mosque" (Sultan Ahmet) where we wandered inside and saw how the profusion of blue tiles helped this mosque to become known by its blue color.
This was followed by a stop at the Pudding Shop , the underground cistern (not the one
in the link, but similar). The cistern had been emptied in order that walkways might be built a decade or
so ago. When empty, two Medusa heads were revealed as part of the scavenged materials used to build the cistern. We then moved on to the Covered Bazaar where we did some shopping (t-shirts, jewelry and amusement were the order of the day).
We ended our tour with a ride up the Bosporus to see Robert College , where my father taught when he was a student while his father was stationed in Turkey (he taught physics labs in exchange for room and board in a student dormitory).
So why do you suppose ships dock in the very industrial port town of Canakkale (pronounced "cha-NAH-ka-lee")?
Troy.
As if the picture of the wooden horse didn't give it away!
We spent the day - all four of us - in Troy. The archaeological site covers quite a bit of time as different "versions" of Troy were built, one atop the others, over the centuries. Marc and Dad walked the entirety of the ruins with our guide; Mom and I walked them in
reverse until the terrain
meant it was too hard going with the wheelchair. We all got to see quite a bit here. Marc noted that at one point you could see the remains of two walls, centuries apart from each other, and note how the construction techniques differed.
When we cruise again, I want to cruise the Greek Isles. The day we spent in Santorini was the absolute definition of charming, relaxing and breath-taking.
Dad, Marc and I all went on a tour that included a winery (with amazing views), Oia (pronounced like EEEEE-ah) - a coastal town with cave homes (homes built in to the cliff walls) and Fira, the town that houses the port.
We started in the winery with a video showing us a bit about the history of wine on Santorini, as well as a bit about how their local collective makes wines for the shop. The views were spectacular from the property.
We moved next to Oia, which is the picture of charming. I could have wandered the streets there for days and days. Dad said he could imagine getting a hotel room there for a week of just relaxing on the balcony and in the cafes.
We ended in Fira where Marc lit a candle for Patrick in a local church.
We rode the (scary!) cable car back to our ship and were on our way to Turkey.
Today was Malta. We'd never even considered going to Malta, but we'd go back in a heart beat!
The buildings are all locally quarried stone - even the gas stations are bleached yellow and white stones. It was beyond stunningly beautiful.
Mom and dad wandered the city - Valletta - while Marc and I took off on a tour of sorts.
I mean, it was a tour, but it didn't turn out to be the tour we thought it would be from the name: Caves and Temples. We saw one cave, one temple, and two shopping spots. The second temple we didn't have time to see because, well, we detoured for 
"fabulous" shopping. Argh.
On the other hand, I did get this great picture of Marc near the Maltese jewelry store (I do wonder what sort of kick back the tour guide got). The jewelry store was in the cute little town but we were all told to "stay together, okay?" Mostly people wandered off but only a little bit down the road to see the coastal sights. It was truly a charming town (there was a restaurant selling rabbit spaghetti as well).
Oh, and here's one of the single temple we did manage to squeeze in between our shopping stops.
This is Stromboli - a volcanic island near the coast of Italy. We sailed around it on our first "at sea" day.
And we were lucky enough to see it go "puff" while we sailed on by.
Neat, huh?
Otherwise our at sea days consisted of good food, bingo, and napping. /yawn I get tired just thinking of it!
Today we split up: Mom stayed on the boat, Dad went to see the Blue Grotto on Capri, and Marc and I went to Pompei.
Let me start by saying: Pompei is HUGE. Its so much bigger than I'd imagined. I mean, its the size of a small town (go figure). We wandered up and down streets, looking at the shopping district, inside of houses (the photo here is of what remained of a tiled floor
inside a multiroom home on one of the main roads in Pompei).
Of particular note were the market (with frescos still on the wall, signs of what was for sale there) and the "house of ill-repute" which was marked by this etched penis on the cobblestones.
Pompei is of course also known for the plaster injected remains of those who didn't flee the city in time
to save themselves. In addition, there are many vessels, sculptures, altars and more than have survived the centuries.
The day was far too overcast unfortunately to get a view of Mt. Etna - the volcano whose eruption spelled the end for Pompei. It did clear up enough that we could tell where it was - in faint outline against the skyline. Marc commented that he could understand why someone living in Pompei might not immediately worry when Etna began to sputter - it seemed so far away!
Dad's day began with a boat ride to Capri, followed by a rowboat ride (duck!) into the cave to see the amazing lighted waters of the Blue Grotto.
The next day we spent at sea. Bingo, relaxation, fine dining. Yay!
Rome wasn't built in a day, but we toured it mightily in just one. 
Our frantic day began with a bus ride for Poppa, Marc and me: we passed all manner of disturbing things on our way into Rome, including a much graffitied section of Hadrian's Wall. (Oh, my!)
Our first official stop in Rome was the Vatican Museum.
We headed in, got our "Whispers" (these neat-o headphones for hearing the guide above the din of the bazillion people there along side our tour), and - as we'd not be given the chance to shop in the Vatican Museum - picked up a bag each with a rosary in it, as a perk for our tour.
Inside the museum we all but ran along many amazing corridors (two pictured here are filled with painted maps, and knotted tapestries). Even the view from an open window
along an art-filled hallway was lovely.
It was worth the hustling though - we ended with 20 minutes or so to stand and be overwhelmed by the Sistine Chapel.
When we took our leave, we headed next to the Colloseum.
This was our first visit to ruins on our trip - and its just as it appears on postcards, in books, and film.
Seriously. There has been some reconstruction (including adding a wooden floor at one end so that you can visualize how it might have appeared when in use) but it otherwise largely untouched. You're able to walk all over it - few places appeared to be off limits. Dad and I stayed downstairs in the shade while Marc went up the very steep ramp to get a better view upstairs.
Then we were off to Trevi fountain where both Marc and I tossed coins in to ensure we'd be back to Rome someday.
Trevi was followed by gelatos, then a long, hot walk to the Hotel Magestic for an amazing lunch (including a started that was tomato sauce and pasta, wrapped in eggplant leaves. We'd expected something boxed and were blown away by the grandeur of the restaurant where we did sup. The meal included a starter, choice of salmon or chicken, white wine and champaign, followed by one of the best tiramisus we've ever eaten.
After our leisurely lunch we packed up, got on the bus, and headed to St. Peter's 
Basilica.
I cried.
You walk in, and are immediately struck by the immense beauty of the building and its artwork. To the right, now behind glass after vandals struck more than a decade ago, is La Pieta. If anything, this sculpture is more amazing when seen in person than in any image I'd ever known. We walked around this huge church oohing and aahing over the mosaic reproductions of famed paintings, the sculpture, the tiles. Just awe-inspiring.
And then we were off again - this time for a gift shop (and more gelato) and back to the ship.
The next day saw us in Sorrento, for a visit to Pompei (Marc and me) and Capri's Blue Grotto (Poppa).
