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Showing posts with label europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label europe. Show all posts
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Eurotrip!
We've been sooo busy the past 6 months that we decided -- the heck with it, it's time for a break! So we packed our bags, jumped on a plane and spent three glorious weeks in Europe! Ninang Daphne joined us on our wild ride through Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain and France. Click on the link below to view our photobook and journal of our adventures in Europe:
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Busy Month for the Dygmeister (Part 5 - Turkey)
Related Links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 2 - Greece, Part 3 - Egypt, Part 4 - Greece
Our adventure in Europe continued on to Turkey, with our first stop in Izmir, the gateway to Ephesus. We had already been to Ephesus last year, so we decided to explore Izmir's Old City instead. We took a cab to Konak Pier and walked to Kemeralti Square, where Dylan enjoyed chasing pigeons with his friends. We then took a local bus up to the Kadafikeli Fort and hiked up the steep ramparts to see the sweeping views of the Izmir skyline.
On Day 12 of our cruise, our ship crossed the Sea of Marmara into the Bosphorus Strait, where we were greeted by amazing views of the beautiful city of Istanbul. While our ship waited to dock, we were stuck in the middle of the strait, which was the best place to be to see both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. As we gazed at the Dolmabahce Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge and the Old City in the horizon, we were speechless. Istanbul was a world of its own -- historic and modern, mysterious and open, Christian and Muslim, European and Asian -- it's a city full of character and life, and everyone who visits always leaves enchanted by it.
We took our time enjoying the views from the ship, before deciding to take the tender to shore and explore Istanbul on foot. It was sunset as we approached the pier, and it was one of the most magical sights to see -- the glow of dusk illuminating the Sultanahmet district, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Nighttime fell by the time we reached the old city centre, and it added an even more magical aura to the three major sites of the historic city -- Topkapi Palace, Haghia Sophia and Blue Mosque. We walked around the plaza and sat by the fountain to take in the moment before returning back to our ship for the final night of our cruise.
After saying goodbye to our friends and stewards on the cruise ship the next day, we returned to the Sultanahmet district and checked into our hotel, the cozy Hotel Sapphire near Topkapi Palace. We were welcomed with champagne, Turkish delight and a big warm smile by the friendly staff and the chirpy parrot at the front desk. We walked to Topkapi Palace to visit the famed residence of the mighty rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The palace is a huge complex of sprawling gardens and buildings that housed important displays of Ottoman treasures, but Ron was particularly excited to take a trip back to the time of Sultans and their harems!
Oh, and we just have to mention that everywhere we go in Turkey, Dylan is like a rock star! Everyone just wants to touch his feet, pinch his cheeks and rub his tummy! Some people even stop us on the road and ask us if they could take a picture of him! There were a few times when we were surrounded by a bunch of school kids just trying to get a good look at him. Here he is with some new friends that he met in Istanbul...
We woke up the next morning to a lavish Turkish breakfast served at our hotel. After stuffing ourselves with food to last the entire day, we walked to Haghia Sophia, which was originally a Byzantine church, then was converted to a mosque by the Ottomans, but now serves as a museum. We marvelled at the mosaics and relics that survived the centuries at this epitome of Byzantine architecture before continuing on to the other jewel of Istanbul, the Blue Mosque.
Built by Sultan Ahmed to compete with the Haghia Sophia, the Blue Mosque is one of the most impressive monuments in the world with its great cascade of domes and 6 minarets that rivalled that of Mecca. We arrived right in the middle of prayertime, so we just walked around the grounds that bordered the Byzantine Hippodrome, and marvelled at the architecture of the mosque, which dominated Istanbul's skyline.
After a full morning of sightseeing, we decided to spend the rest of the day shopping. Of course, we had to go to the granddaddy of bazaars, Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, and we were overwhelmed with the maze of over 4000 stores selling everything from jewelry, rugs, clothes, souvenirs, houseware, electronics and food. We got tired of haggling with the merchants, so we took the cable car to Zeytinburnu to visit the shops where locals go to. Then we rode the cable car back to Eminonu Pier, where we got a good view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus Strait and the many ships that pass through each day.
We walked to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, which quickly became our favorite place to shop in Turkey. The hagglers where a little less aggressive, and the wares where a little less expensive. And just perusing the shops abounding with colorful spices from around the world was a perfect way to end a full day. We walked back to our hotel and had dinner at a trendy restaurant nearby, then discovered we had a Turkish bath and a heated pool in our hotel so we donned our swimwear and took a dip before retiring.
For the final day of our trip, we decided to take it easy and just enjoy Istanbul. We spent the morning on the other side of the Golden Horn and hiked up to the Galata Tower, where we were rewarded with amazing views of the city. We then crossed the bridge back to Eminonu Pier, where we had lunch with locals at a fish sandwich stand by the harbor. Then we embarked on an afternoon tour of the Bosphorus aboard one of the local boats.
The boat tour was a fitting farewell to our short but sweet visit in Istanbul. We gazed at the waterfront palaces and condos, the tiny parks and plazas that lined the Bosphorus on both the European and Asian sides, and promised ourselves that we will return. And to cap our day, we went back to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar and bought a traditional Turkish bukhara rug as a souvenir. We bumped into some friends from the cruise and exchanged contact information, then went back to our hotel to prepare for our long trip home. Goodbye, beautiful Istanbul -- we'll be back soon!
And with that, our whirlwind trip to the Mediterranean with the Dygmeister was over! It was a crazy but fun ride, and the memories we've made will truly last a lifetime... (End of blog series... See related links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 2 - Greece, Part 3 - Egypt, Part 4 - Greece)
Our adventure in Europe continued on to Turkey, with our first stop in Izmir, the gateway to Ephesus. We had already been to Ephesus last year, so we decided to explore Izmir's Old City instead. We took a cab to Konak Pier and walked to Kemeralti Square, where Dylan enjoyed chasing pigeons with his friends. We then took a local bus up to the Kadafikeli Fort and hiked up the steep ramparts to see the sweeping views of the Izmir skyline.
On Day 12 of our cruise, our ship crossed the Sea of Marmara into the Bosphorus Strait, where we were greeted by amazing views of the beautiful city of Istanbul. While our ship waited to dock, we were stuck in the middle of the strait, which was the best place to be to see both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. As we gazed at the Dolmabahce Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge and the Old City in the horizon, we were speechless. Istanbul was a world of its own -- historic and modern, mysterious and open, Christian and Muslim, European and Asian -- it's a city full of character and life, and everyone who visits always leaves enchanted by it.
We took our time enjoying the views from the ship, before deciding to take the tender to shore and explore Istanbul on foot. It was sunset as we approached the pier, and it was one of the most magical sights to see -- the glow of dusk illuminating the Sultanahmet district, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Nighttime fell by the time we reached the old city centre, and it added an even more magical aura to the three major sites of the historic city -- Topkapi Palace, Haghia Sophia and Blue Mosque. We walked around the plaza and sat by the fountain to take in the moment before returning back to our ship for the final night of our cruise.
After saying goodbye to our friends and stewards on the cruise ship the next day, we returned to the Sultanahmet district and checked into our hotel, the cozy Hotel Sapphire near Topkapi Palace. We were welcomed with champagne, Turkish delight and a big warm smile by the friendly staff and the chirpy parrot at the front desk. We walked to Topkapi Palace to visit the famed residence of the mighty rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The palace is a huge complex of sprawling gardens and buildings that housed important displays of Ottoman treasures, but Ron was particularly excited to take a trip back to the time of Sultans and their harems!
Oh, and we just have to mention that everywhere we go in Turkey, Dylan is like a rock star! Everyone just wants to touch his feet, pinch his cheeks and rub his tummy! Some people even stop us on the road and ask us if they could take a picture of him! There were a few times when we were surrounded by a bunch of school kids just trying to get a good look at him. Here he is with some new friends that he met in Istanbul...
We woke up the next morning to a lavish Turkish breakfast served at our hotel. After stuffing ourselves with food to last the entire day, we walked to Haghia Sophia, which was originally a Byzantine church, then was converted to a mosque by the Ottomans, but now serves as a museum. We marvelled at the mosaics and relics that survived the centuries at this epitome of Byzantine architecture before continuing on to the other jewel of Istanbul, the Blue Mosque.
Built by Sultan Ahmed to compete with the Haghia Sophia, the Blue Mosque is one of the most impressive monuments in the world with its great cascade of domes and 6 minarets that rivalled that of Mecca. We arrived right in the middle of prayertime, so we just walked around the grounds that bordered the Byzantine Hippodrome, and marvelled at the architecture of the mosque, which dominated Istanbul's skyline.
After a full morning of sightseeing, we decided to spend the rest of the day shopping. Of course, we had to go to the granddaddy of bazaars, Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, and we were overwhelmed with the maze of over 4000 stores selling everything from jewelry, rugs, clothes, souvenirs, houseware, electronics and food. We got tired of haggling with the merchants, so we took the cable car to Zeytinburnu to visit the shops where locals go to. Then we rode the cable car back to Eminonu Pier, where we got a good view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus Strait and the many ships that pass through each day.
We walked to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, which quickly became our favorite place to shop in Turkey. The hagglers where a little less aggressive, and the wares where a little less expensive. And just perusing the shops abounding with colorful spices from around the world was a perfect way to end a full day. We walked back to our hotel and had dinner at a trendy restaurant nearby, then discovered we had a Turkish bath and a heated pool in our hotel so we donned our swimwear and took a dip before retiring.
For the final day of our trip, we decided to take it easy and just enjoy Istanbul. We spent the morning on the other side of the Golden Horn and hiked up to the Galata Tower, where we were rewarded with amazing views of the city. We then crossed the bridge back to Eminonu Pier, where we had lunch with locals at a fish sandwich stand by the harbor. Then we embarked on an afternoon tour of the Bosphorus aboard one of the local boats.
The boat tour was a fitting farewell to our short but sweet visit in Istanbul. We gazed at the waterfront palaces and condos, the tiny parks and plazas that lined the Bosphorus on both the European and Asian sides, and promised ourselves that we will return. And to cap our day, we went back to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar and bought a traditional Turkish bukhara rug as a souvenir. We bumped into some friends from the cruise and exchanged contact information, then went back to our hotel to prepare for our long trip home. Goodbye, beautiful Istanbul -- we'll be back soon!
And with that, our whirlwind trip to the Mediterranean with the Dygmeister was over! It was a crazy but fun ride, and the memories we've made will truly last a lifetime... (End of blog series... See related links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 2 - Greece, Part 3 - Egypt, Part 4 - Greece)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
A Busy Month for the Dygmeister (Part 4 - Greece)
Related Links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 2 - Greece, Part 3 - Egypt, Part 5 - Turkey
After our hectic visit to Egypt, a day at sea was just what we needed. Dylan had a blast wading in the kiddie pool and playing deck curling with Mom and Dad. He also made several friends, like Leon from Barcelona and Tyler from Boston. The highlight of the day was the Halloween costume party, where Dylan, dressed as the fearless little lion, won first place! He was definitely popular on the ship and was then known to passengers and crew alike as "Dylan the lion" wherever we go.
We arrived in Heraklion, Crete on Day 7 of our cruise. Don't let the mysterious name fool you, because Crete is one of the busiest hubs in Greece. We rented a car, skipped the crowded downtown area and headed for the countryside, where we visited the ruins of the Palace of Knossos, known for Minoan art and artifacts like the Minotaur. For lunch, we visited the quaint town of Arhanes, where we went out on a limb and ordered local delicacies like braised rabbit and was rewarded with a scrumptuous meal. Then we spent a couple of hours lazing around as Dylan played kick-the-empty-water-bottle around a quiet plaza with some village kids.
We woke up early the next morning to watch as our ship arrived at the beautiful island of Santorini. It was just as magical as the first time we visited it last year, which just makes us want to come back every year if we could! We hiked up the cobblestone paths of Fira Town, then we ventured out and drove around the island with some friends we met on the ship. We went to a couple of Greek vineyards, then to the Akrotiri excavation site (which was closed, unfortunately), then chanced upon Red Rock Beach, which as the name suggests, is a secluded beach bordered by a cliff of ruby-hued rocks.
What trip to Santorini would be complete without a visit to the picturesque town of Oia? With its sweeping views and majestic skylines, it is the scene of many a romantic movie and is popular for its romantic sunsets. Dylan wasn't immune to the romance as he met his first girlfriend, a charming babe named Halena. Despite the tourist establishments that dotted the town, it still retains its quaint charm and is definitely our favorite place in all of Greece.
The next day, we visited the island of Mykonos, known for its beach parties and exciting nightlife. Luckily, the peak season had passed, so we enjoyed a relatively quiet day beach-hopping. We were greeted by the pelican in Hora Town, then walked around the coast to the famous windmills. We've lost count of the beaches we visited, but we did enjoy a picnic lunch at the Super Paradise Beach, where Dylan braved the breeze and played in the sand in his cute little surfsuit. We ended the day watching the sunset from Agios Iannis, with views of Hora Town's white-washed houses and other islands of the Cyclades.
Back on the ship, our friends agreed to take Dylan for a couple of hours so that Mom and Dad could enjoy a quiet formal dinner. It was definitely a much needed rest from the little Dygmeister! Then it was time to prepare for the next leg of our trip, Turkey. (See Part 5 of this blog series.)
After our hectic visit to Egypt, a day at sea was just what we needed. Dylan had a blast wading in the kiddie pool and playing deck curling with Mom and Dad. He also made several friends, like Leon from Barcelona and Tyler from Boston. The highlight of the day was the Halloween costume party, where Dylan, dressed as the fearless little lion, won first place! He was definitely popular on the ship and was then known to passengers and crew alike as "Dylan the lion" wherever we go.
We woke up early the next morning to watch as our ship arrived at the beautiful island of Santorini. It was just as magical as the first time we visited it last year, which just makes us want to come back every year if we could! We hiked up the cobblestone paths of Fira Town, then we ventured out and drove around the island with some friends we met on the ship. We went to a couple of Greek vineyards, then to the Akrotiri excavation site (which was closed, unfortunately), then chanced upon Red Rock Beach, which as the name suggests, is a secluded beach bordered by a cliff of ruby-hued rocks.
The next day, we visited the island of Mykonos, known for its beach parties and exciting nightlife. Luckily, the peak season had passed, so we enjoyed a relatively quiet day beach-hopping. We were greeted by the pelican in Hora Town, then walked around the coast to the famous windmills. We've lost count of the beaches we visited, but we did enjoy a picnic lunch at the Super Paradise Beach, where Dylan braved the breeze and played in the sand in his cute little surfsuit. We ended the day watching the sunset from Agios Iannis, with views of Hora Town's white-washed houses and other islands of the Cyclades.
Back on the ship, our friends agreed to take Dylan for a couple of hours so that Mom and Dad could enjoy a quiet formal dinner. It was definitely a much needed rest from the little Dygmeister! Then it was time to prepare for the next leg of our trip, Turkey. (See Part 5 of this blog series.)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A Busy Month for the Dygmeister (Part 3 - Egypt)
Related Links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 2 - Greece, Part 4 - Greece, Part 5 - Turkey
Day 5 was the day we've planned this whole trip around -- a sneak peek of Egypt. We arrived on a beautiful morning in the Port of Alexandria, where we met with our private tour guides. After a two and a half hour ride from the port, we finally arrived in Giza. Despite being greeted by bumper-to-bumper traffic and smog, we sat in awe amidst all the craziness as out in the horizon loomed the Great Pyramids of Giza. We had to pinch each other to remind ourselves that we were in close vicinity to where kings and pharaohs of yore once reigned. Up, close and personal, the pyramids may seem mid-size compared to the skyskrapers of today, but considering these were made over 4500 years ago and still stand proud, I think it's mighty impressive.
Our guides first took us to the summit of the hill overlooking the Sahara Desert. From our perch, we could see the three pyramids side by side, with the sprawling modern cities of Giza and Cairo in the backdrop. We stood for a moment to take it all in, before heading out on our next adventure -- a camel ride to the pyramids. This was by far the most memorable moment of our trip (if not our lives) -- Dylan, Mom and Dad atop two camels trudging down the Sahara desert towards the Pyramids of Giza. Priceless.
Thanks to Islam, our friendly guide, we escaped the haggling and got off our camels with our wallets unscarred. We continued on to the Pyramid of Khafre, where we took turns hiking down the long, tight and uncomfortable pathway to get to the heart of the pyramid. We wish we could tell you of what great treasures awaited us once we got there, but all the pirates from the past centuries have already snatched anything of importance so we were left with what seemed like an empty warehouse. But hey, it's a 4500-year-old warehouse. After our hike, we walked down the hill to say hi to the Great Sphinx, which guarded the three pyramids.
Then it was off to Sakkara, once the ancient capital of Memphis, to visit one of the oldest stone structures in the world. It was a 45-minute drive through the countryside of Giza, filled with fields of dates, cabbages and cotton, and reknowned carpet-making schools. The biggest attraction here is the Step Pyramid, built by the famous architect Imhotep, of which all other pyramids are fashioned after. There were many other things to see, but we skipped them as Dylan was having too much fun playing with the very fine sand that surrounded the pyramid since 2700 B.C.
We drove back to Cairo, where we stopped for a short shopping trip at a papyrus-making shop. Then we had to rush downtown to catch our riverboat dinner cruise along the Nile River. The Nile definitely has changed from the days when Moses was found floating in a woven basket. Lining both sides were tall buildings and monuments like the Cairo Tower and the elegant Four Seasons Hotel. We enjoyed our dinner with some traditional Egyptian entertainment, a Sufi dancer (who danced with whirling dervishes) and of course, a belly dancer.
You'd think our day would be over, but we still had one more stop to go -- back to the pyramids to watch the Sound and Light show. We're glad we stayed awake to witness the history of the pyramids unfold before our eyes. It was definitely a fitting end to a busy but memorable day in Giza and Cairo.
Our tour guides picked us up the next morning at the luxurios Le Meridien hotel, where we spent a relaxing night with a great view of the pyramids. Our first stop was the Saladin Citadel and Alabaster Mosque, one of the grandest mosques in the world. We then headed to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses Egypt's most prized possession, the remains of the tomb of King Tutankhamen.
Then it was off to lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe along the Nile, where we reminisced our wonderful time in Egypt with our newfound friends. We must spare a few notes on our guides because we owe them our memorable visit to Egypt. We had skipped the shore excursion offered by the cruise ship because riding on a bus with 50 people did not seem too appealing to the Dygmeister. After much research, we found this gem of a company, Nile Blue Tours, who not only offered us our own mini-van with a personal driver, a tour guide and an Egyptologist (a master in Egyptian history), but also 5-star accommodations, food and the dinner cruise on the Nile. Thanks, Nile Blue Tours!
Then it was back to Alexandria to rejoin our cruise. (See Part 4 of this blog series)
Day 5 was the day we've planned this whole trip around -- a sneak peek of Egypt. We arrived on a beautiful morning in the Port of Alexandria, where we met with our private tour guides. After a two and a half hour ride from the port, we finally arrived in Giza. Despite being greeted by bumper-to-bumper traffic and smog, we sat in awe amidst all the craziness as out in the horizon loomed the Great Pyramids of Giza. We had to pinch each other to remind ourselves that we were in close vicinity to where kings and pharaohs of yore once reigned. Up, close and personal, the pyramids may seem mid-size compared to the skyskrapers of today, but considering these were made over 4500 years ago and still stand proud, I think it's mighty impressive.
Our guides first took us to the summit of the hill overlooking the Sahara Desert. From our perch, we could see the three pyramids side by side, with the sprawling modern cities of Giza and Cairo in the backdrop. We stood for a moment to take it all in, before heading out on our next adventure -- a camel ride to the pyramids. This was by far the most memorable moment of our trip (if not our lives) -- Dylan, Mom and Dad atop two camels trudging down the Sahara desert towards the Pyramids of Giza. Priceless.
Thanks to Islam, our friendly guide, we escaped the haggling and got off our camels with our wallets unscarred. We continued on to the Pyramid of Khafre, where we took turns hiking down the long, tight and uncomfortable pathway to get to the heart of the pyramid. We wish we could tell you of what great treasures awaited us once we got there, but all the pirates from the past centuries have already snatched anything of importance so we were left with what seemed like an empty warehouse. But hey, it's a 4500-year-old warehouse. After our hike, we walked down the hill to say hi to the Great Sphinx, which guarded the three pyramids.
Then it was off to Sakkara, once the ancient capital of Memphis, to visit one of the oldest stone structures in the world. It was a 45-minute drive through the countryside of Giza, filled with fields of dates, cabbages and cotton, and reknowned carpet-making schools. The biggest attraction here is the Step Pyramid, built by the famous architect Imhotep, of which all other pyramids are fashioned after. There were many other things to see, but we skipped them as Dylan was having too much fun playing with the very fine sand that surrounded the pyramid since 2700 B.C.
We drove back to Cairo, where we stopped for a short shopping trip at a papyrus-making shop. Then we had to rush downtown to catch our riverboat dinner cruise along the Nile River. The Nile definitely has changed from the days when Moses was found floating in a woven basket. Lining both sides were tall buildings and monuments like the Cairo Tower and the elegant Four Seasons Hotel. We enjoyed our dinner with some traditional Egyptian entertainment, a Sufi dancer (who danced with whirling dervishes) and of course, a belly dancer.
You'd think our day would be over, but we still had one more stop to go -- back to the pyramids to watch the Sound and Light show. We're glad we stayed awake to witness the history of the pyramids unfold before our eyes. It was definitely a fitting end to a busy but memorable day in Giza and Cairo.
Our tour guides picked us up the next morning at the luxurios Le Meridien hotel, where we spent a relaxing night with a great view of the pyramids. Our first stop was the Saladin Citadel and Alabaster Mosque, one of the grandest mosques in the world. We then headed to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses Egypt's most prized possession, the remains of the tomb of King Tutankhamen.
Then it was off to lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe along the Nile, where we reminisced our wonderful time in Egypt with our newfound friends. We must spare a few notes on our guides because we owe them our memorable visit to Egypt. We had skipped the shore excursion offered by the cruise ship because riding on a bus with 50 people did not seem too appealing to the Dygmeister. After much research, we found this gem of a company, Nile Blue Tours, who not only offered us our own mini-van with a personal driver, a tour guide and an Egyptologist (a master in Egyptian history), but also 5-star accommodations, food and the dinner cruise on the Nile. Thanks, Nile Blue Tours!
Then it was back to Alexandria to rejoin our cruise. (See Part 4 of this blog series)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A Busy Month for the Dygmeister (Part 2 - Greece)
Related Links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 3 - Egypt, Part 4 - Greece, Part 5 - Turkey
After spending some quality time with family friends in T.O., it was time for our much-awaited trip to the Mediterranean. We started our trip dreading the long international flight from Toronto to Washington to London to Athens -- but Dylan seemed to manage the longer flights better and slept much of the time. Oh, and it might have helped that he charmed the flight attendants into giving us a full row to ourselves so he can stretch out and lounge like a king!
After over 20 hours in-flight, we finally arrived in Athens. It was the peak of rush hour, so we got a taste of Athens traffic on our way to the busy port of Piraeus. At our hotel, we reassessed the major headaches caused by United Airlines Baggage "service" -- more like a "disservice" that left us with a broken and badly damaged car seat and mishandled luggage that left Dylan's powdered formula scattered all over our clothes. Fortunately, we joined our cruise ship the next day, and royal treatment aboard the Norwegian Jade combined with a dose of chocolates and champagne wilted our troubles away! We also got lucky because our cousin, Dinah, worked in the finance department of NCL and managed to score us a room upgrade and complimentary wine -- free booze is always good :)
The next three days were relaxing visits to ports that we've already seen before. Katakolon is the gateway to the ruins of Olympia, which we had already visited last year during our "babymoon" cruise, so we opted for a lazy day on the beach and a bit of shopping at the local shops. Corfu, one of Greece's bigger islands, was as busy as we remembered, but we traveled out of the main hubs and to the hilltop town of Kanoni, where we marveled at views of Mouse Island and Corfu's quaint landscape. Oh, and we just have to mention here that in this town that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, right at the peak is a Starbucks coffee shop. Yes, they are everywhere...
Day 5 was the day we've planned this whole trip around -- a sneak peek of Egypt. (See Part 3 of this blog series)
After spending some quality time with family friends in T.O., it was time for our much-awaited trip to the Mediterranean. We started our trip dreading the long international flight from Toronto to Washington to London to Athens -- but Dylan seemed to manage the longer flights better and slept much of the time. Oh, and it might have helped that he charmed the flight attendants into giving us a full row to ourselves so he can stretch out and lounge like a king!
After over 20 hours in-flight, we finally arrived in Athens. It was the peak of rush hour, so we got a taste of Athens traffic on our way to the busy port of Piraeus. At our hotel, we reassessed the major headaches caused by United Airlines Baggage "service" -- more like a "disservice" that left us with a broken and badly damaged car seat and mishandled luggage that left Dylan's powdered formula scattered all over our clothes. Fortunately, we joined our cruise ship the next day, and royal treatment aboard the Norwegian Jade combined with a dose of chocolates and champagne wilted our troubles away! We also got lucky because our cousin, Dinah, worked in the finance department of NCL and managed to score us a room upgrade and complimentary wine -- free booze is always good :)
The next three days were relaxing visits to ports that we've already seen before. Katakolon is the gateway to the ruins of Olympia, which we had already visited last year during our "babymoon" cruise, so we opted for a lazy day on the beach and a bit of shopping at the local shops. Corfu, one of Greece's bigger islands, was as busy as we remembered, but we traveled out of the main hubs and to the hilltop town of Kanoni, where we marveled at views of Mouse Island and Corfu's quaint landscape. Oh, and we just have to mention here that in this town that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, right at the peak is a Starbucks coffee shop. Yes, they are everywhere...
Day 5 was the day we've planned this whole trip around -- a sneak peek of Egypt. (See Part 3 of this blog series)
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