As I write, we are back home in Struisbaai, South Africa. My data package only worked in England and Europe. While at sea there was no signal unless we were close enough to land. I could keep up with my blog posts until the last two days. I am now catching up with the last few days of our trip.

Although Earl did not feel up to two of our excursions due to being down with a bad cold he was still okay to wander around the ship and enjoy the company of our fellow travellers. He is still not fully recovered so saw the doctor yesterday (Monday) and is taking antibiotics. He should be fully recovered soon.

Thursday 20 June 202 – Athens

It was very hot today. We went on an MSC excursion to Athens but Earl felt too unwell to join us.

We had a lovely Greek lady as our guide and she gave us very interesting information about the city of Athens. We could see The Acropolis and get some photos but climbing up was not an option on this trip. We did try to get tickets but the queues were long and there was not enough time to get there and back to the bus in time so we abandoned that idea.

Lollz and I walked a little further than the others and climbed to a high point where we got awesome views of the city.

Friday, 21 June 2024 – Ephesus

Once again Earl was not well enough to come along on this excursion with the rest of us.

Our guide was a delightfully upbeat Turk who kept up a repartee as we travelled to each of our destinations.

First, we visited The House of the Virgin Mary. It is believed by many that Mary and John, the disciple who took care of her after the death of Jesus, left Jerusalem to escape persecution. They settled in a house in a lovely area of Ephesus. A spring flowed on the property and one can drink these very waters. There is no absolute proof that this is where she lived but the evidence is strong. Three popes, namely Pope Paul VI in 1967, Pope Jean Paul ll in 1979, and Pope Benedict VI in 2006, made pilgrimages to the Virgin Mary House. It is an important destination for many Christian pilgrims today. Muslims also visit the site as they regard Jesus as one of their prophets and also honour the Virgin Mary.

We then went to the archaeological site of Ephesus which is one of the most well-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean.

There are remains from several periods in history including the Hellenistic Greeks to the Roman Imperial period. The Library of Celsus and The Great Theatre are its main attractions. The Temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World but little of it remains today. Ephesus also played an important part in early Christian History. It is believed that the Gospel of John was written here.

We found the toilets quite amusing as this was where the men of the city came to discuss business!

The Library of Celsus was built in 135 AD to honor Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, a Roman senator, and it served as both a library and a mausoleum for him.

The library’s facade is of Roman architecture, featuring two stories of Corinthian columns and intricate sculptures. The statues between the columns represent the virtues of Celsus: Wisdom, Knowledge, Intelligence, and Valor. The originals are housed in museums, while the ones on display are replicas.

We also visited a Turkish Carpet workshop. It was fascinating and I am sure we were taken there so we would be tempted to purchase very expensive rugs! First, they showed us how the thread was spun and then woven. We were then invited to another room where we were given iced tea and a delicious cheese pastry snack. Lollz. Lisa and Sasha did not come with Dominika and me as they said they did not want to be pressured into buying a carpet. Dom and I were just curious. They threw one carpet after another onto the floor and they were truly stunning. We were not allowed to photograph them. The designs could be copied and cheaper imitations made. The salesmen tried to get Dom and me into yet another room to see more carpets but we politely declined telling them that we really could not afford to buy their beautiful wares.

We were then introduced to a charming man who upon learning we were from South Africa, greeted us in Afrikaans, then tried to sell us jewelry. Despite being impressed by his attempt to make us feel at home ‘in our own language’ we politely declined that offer too. It is, however, quite clever to learn as many greetings in as many languages as you can to win over potential buyers.

After this interesting interlude, we also visited a shop that sold a variety of Turkish products including confectionery and herbs and spices. This was more affordable and I am sure most of those on our tour supported them. Lisa bought some Turkish Delight.

This was our last full day on the cruise. The ship sailed at three that afternoon. Sasha and Lollz joined us for our final dinner in the restaurant and it was superb.

Blog on Istanbul to follow.