Heading for Venice with a day at sea traveling from Athens up the strait between the east coast of Italy and the Eastern European countries including Slovakia, Bosnia, Albania, Slovenia etc. Continued up the strait through the night with the dark coastline sprinkled with the lights of isolated villages and towns on the coast and in the hills. Big deck party was on last night with many people up dancing. Jeannie and I visited the casino for the first time for a...

Athens, Greece - one of the birthplaces of western civilization and occupied for over 5000 years. We're up before dawn with Andre and Patricia for an early start to see the Parthenon, Acropolis and other antiquities, as well as free time in the old precinct - the Plaka. Port Piraeus where we docked this morning has operated for over two and a half thousand years. d*** and Yvonne were up even earlier for a longer tour, and Mick and JanMarie left as soon as the sh...

Firstly Happy Birthday Mick! Steamed down overnight from Istanbul through the Bosporus to Kusadasi arriving midday for the tour of Ephesus a roman town which was the third town built on the spot, occupied for 6000 years. Surrounded by towns from the bible and Ephesus received visits from the apostles. Great tour and wonderful bazaars to browse through afterwards in Kusadasi itself. Fantastic show last night in the Princess Theatre- you'd pay to see it on br...

Istanbul Turkey on a quite cool, sometimes drizzly morning, on a BigBus HoponHopoff (with good WIFI on the bus) around the only city which spans two continents - Europe and Asia. Sailed up the Bosporus Strait last night after belting across the Mediterranean from Mykonos yesterday - some waves but still really calm with no impact felt on the ship. A very moving ceremony last night about 1130pm as the ship slowly moved past the Gallipoli monument lit up at night...

Yesterday was a day at sea on the run from Italy giving everyone a chance to sleep in and recharge from the early full day tours through France and Italy. We all togged up for the first of two formal dinners on ship then another great production show in the Princess Theatre before heading out to the glittering chandeliered piazza for music and after dinner drinks. Today was Mykonos in the Cyclades Islands group of Greece. Only a half day here as we have another ...