We are in the Port of Argostoli, which is the capital of the island of Kefalonia and the Ithaka Islands. After the towns of Oia and Fira on Santorini it is a let down. The streets are full of closed, vacant businesses and graffiti. A lot of the buildings have concrete cancer, due to the high salinity. We have decided to just sit and watch the world go by, with our two priest mates. As well the frantic contact with Edward and Victoria, and checking emails. Today, ...

This morning I was up to watch the sunrise over the caldera looking directly at Fira on the Island of Santorini. Today is the first day we have used the ships tours. They keep placing highly reduced flyers in our letter box, we have ignored them until now. The idea of a priority tender to a port and a bus to the village of Oia and returned to Fira with a ticket on the Cable car was too good to miss. I know that Paul and Kate are braver than us and rented a quad b...

This is truly a spectacular archaeological site. It dates back from the Greco-Roman times when this area was the centre of trade and commerce. The port was improved by the Romans, and that nice friend of Greece and it seems Turkey, Hadrian was here to build more arches attached by many marble columns, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian (the most decorative). It was hot and dry, very little shade, we were well prepared with hats, water and fruit. We had a private tour, w...

After organising the trip around Istanbul and Ephesus, we are finally to visit the Shrine of the House of Mary and the ruins of the port town of Ephesus, where the disciple John took Mary after the death of Jesus. Ephesus was important for the early church John, Peter and Paul visited this important city. The shrine is sanctioned by the Catholic Church. Is is also a very busy place, many pilgrams and all of the boat was here at the same time. Lit a candle and sai...

Today's port visit was cancelled to high winds and high seas. This was to be a tender port, 2 metre waves, gale force winds and old americans don't mix, so it was a bonus sea day. the crew quickly organised extra activities to keep this small town happy. We kept ourselves busy in the thermal spa, resting and reading. Robert enjoyed watching the relays of the Soccer and we watched the start of the Tdf in local time. It was formal night, so we decided to dress up -...