Sitting in port at Santorini

Well dear friends I am finally able to sit in a little cafe and start to write some notes about my journey so far. Right now we are in Santorini and it is the most perfect day I've ever seen. Clear skies, sunshine and warmth. We are surrounded by the blue waters of the Agean Sea. We went to the winery at the top of the mountain and tasted some different Greek wines. Then we walked along the cobble path and took in the sights and sounds of the village.

We have away for just over a week but what a journey it has been. We left Vancouver on Friday, May 16th and flew with British Airways to London. This is only the second time we have flown with them, but once again we got upgraded to business class! I didn't ask for it either. So we were able to fly through the night in comfort.

First stop was Barcelona. Wow what a city. So much to see and do. We spent two days touring the city. Some of our highlights were Montserrat, the monastery on top of the mountain. This is the second monastery I've been to lately and there is something about the atmosphere in monasteries that re-energizes the soul. I will always remember this place. Then there are the Gaudi tourist attractions. I could not believe what this artist created. This is something not to be missed if you ever go to Barcelona. I loved Barcelona because of all the wonderful food and the people. Ron and I especially enjoyed people watching on Las Ramblas. We drank a pint of Sangria there.

Then from Barcelona it was on to Istanbul, Turkey. Again, we were totally blown away by this amazing city. There is so much history there. We took a two day tour and did as much as we could. There is so much to see! We went to several mosques. Toured the Spice Market and bought all kinds of spices. There is a funny story about this experience but I will save it for later! Yes we bought a Turkish rug. Fell for it hook, line and sinker! It's a nice rug though. It was Ron's idea to buy it. Saw the Blue Mosque. It isn't really blue you know. Went to the Grand Bazaar, but one shop is just like the rest you know. It is incredible to see. One of my fondest memory is the call to prayer which is broadcasted through the minarets around the mosques. Learning about the Muslim faith was interesting.

We boarded our ship in Istanbul. We spent a day and a half in port before we left for Kudadasi, Turkey. It was here that we visited Ephesus, where the Roman ruins are found. Another fascinating stop.


So right now I will send this along and figure out how to add my photos. I need my friend Pauline's help!