Holidays

Hello everyone, and thank you for joining us here. 

August was our main holiday time in this small corner, and hubby, D, and I spent two very, very hot weeks cruising around parts of the Greek and Turkish coastlines and some of the islands. 

We joined the ship at Marmaris in Turkey, and after a day at sea, we arrived at the port of Piraeus in Greece. Hubby and I took a boat trip along the Corinth Canal.

This is a man-made canal that links the Aegean and Ionian seas. These photos were taken from the bridge that spans the canal, followed by a few we took while on a small boat sailing through this quite narrow gap.The bridge in the photos is also a favourite spot for bungy jumping. We did see someone doing this while we were there, but it was not an activity any of us fancied joining in with!

                                

D and her friend went on a different trip to the Greek capital, Athens. They visited the Acropolis and the Parthenon.

Next port of call was Souda, Crete. We visited the beautiful Monastery Of Agia Triada. It is also famous for extensive and well cared for crops of grapes and olive trees.  

Our visit also included a little wine tasting which was most enjoyable! 😀

A few more views as we were driven back to the cruise ship.

We have visited Santorini several times, and it really is a beautiful and picturesque place. The bluest of seas and white-painted buildings scatter the coastline.

Next stop was Kusadasi, Turkey. D and her friend visited Ephesus to see the ancient ruins of the Library of Celsus. 

Hubby and I wandered around a Turkish shopping area, which was quite an experience. Unfortunately, we couldn't fit a beautiful Turkish rug in our suitcases. We did, however, sample the delights of Turkish coffee. It was lovely.

Another place we visited was Istanbul, Turkey. While the girls took a leisurely boat trip, hubby visited the famous Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia. He ended the day with a walk in a spice market, Turkish style.

This large ancient amphitheatre is in Bodrum, Turkey and is still used today for concerts and shows.

The remains of these windmills, high on the hillside of Bodrum, are a reminder of their use in the past to grind grain.

Rhodes was our last port of call on this holiday. Such a beautiful place to visit.

We were very glad of the shade here. The steps led up to the remains of a monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

A view from the top of the hill at the monastery

A beautiful avenue leading up to the monastery

An inner courtyard at the monastery

And we met some of the local wildlife.

Lastly, a view over Rhodes harbour. 

We saw some unforgettable sunsets on board the ship every evening and have many memories to treasure of this year's summer holiday.

The newlyweds are also back from a three-and-a-half-week honeymoon, having visited Borneo, Bali, Singapore, and a few other places. We look forward to sharing the wedding and some places they visited next week.

Until then, have a good week.

B and D x