All Good Things Must Come To An End

The last evening of our fabulous anniversary celebration was terrific. After the day packing and exploring Messina, the adult kids decided they didn't want to go to the Vista Dining Room and the children decided they did want to go to the kids program where they were to have a pillow fight.

Jim went down to give an extra tip to Yuri and Aria who had done a wonderful job serving us dinner each night. They wanted to bring the Kids Menu up to the stateroom. We thought it would be the actual menus they brought, but instead Aria showed up at the door with a cart loaded with all the favorite things the kids had eaten from the kids menu. They filled their stomachs and were off to play.

Dinner with the kids was complete with performances by Christopher- singing the camp song about a Penguin coming to tea- complete with lots of motions and energy- and Jack doing a song and dramatic piece from Beauty and the Beast. They were both so funny. Christopher raised and lowered the lights and announced all the acts. Naturally we have the most talented grandchildren in the world but we did finally have to call a halt to the talent show so we could eat.

We ordered from the room service menu and filled our faces with burgers and pasta plus lots of cookies. The conversation and the memories shared were so wonderful! It was so amazing to have this space for our times to gather and this last meal felt like a great ending time.

Morning dawned and we were all off our separate ways. Bill's family came down to say good-bye and once again thank us for the "awesome trip." Bill said they talk about "trips of a lifetime" but this had really been that for their family. Same is certainly true for us. 

Everybody arrived home safe and sound- although a bit weary. Bill and the 2 guys three suitcases weighted 88.4 kilograms out of an allowance of 90 kilograms. Careful packing! Ella slept on the floor of the Nashville Airport while their luggage arrived. Kate said Ethan fell sleep on the pane just before they landed in Philadelphia. She couldn't wake him up and each time they stopped for a line he sat down on the floor and went to sleep. We got home just after midnight and were in bed by 12:08AM. 


What a grand time we had!

July 6- Messina, Silicy

Madonnina Port Protectress

Today is our last day of this wonderful family adventure. We sailed into Messina, Sicily bright and early in the morning. We got back the hour of time we lost when we went to Greece so the sleep time was nicely long. The entrance to the harbor is marked by a golden looking statue on the top of a tall column-the Madonnina Port Protectress. There were many, many boats in the harbor and the variety of ferries were already moving back and forth.

Bill, Kate and Ethan dropped by for a visit while Michael and Jack slept in the dark interior cabin. We’ll all do better tomorrow if we can enter the travel day as rested as possible.

The Cheek family did get a taxi and go to visit the town of Savoca and the strange crypt where the mummified remains of 32 aristocrats and friars from the 17^th and 18^th centuries are eerily displayed. Dressed in their finest clothes they looked like they were ready for a party. They made it back to the ship just as the all aboard time approached.

Messina is situated on the northeastern Sicilian coast and is the capital of Messina Province on the western shore of the Strait of Messina. Messina produces foodstuffs, silks, muslins, linens, and chemicals. The town was founded by the Greeks in the 8th Century BC. It was occupied by the Romans in 264BC which triggered the First Punic War between Rome and Carthage. 

We sailed out through the straits of Messina. The Pilot boat followed us very fast and the captain said most often the transfer of the pilot from the ship to the pilot boat happens at 6 kts. But in this area they normally do this at 16kts. It was quite a sight to see. People were lining the rail on the 10^th deck above as we watched from the balcony. When he got safely on the boat there was a loud cheer and he waved to the crowd.

Packing was the usual wild experience. Always easier to pack to go home since you don’t care how stuff goes into which suitcase. BUT is always more exciting to pack when you are going on a trip just because of the anticipation. This time we had lots of clean clothes all neatly folded to go into the suitcases.

At 3:30PM we sailed by the volcano Stromboli for the 2^nd time on this cruise. We have also sailed it by this very active volcano one other time in the daytime in 2009 and one time at night in 2005. No matter when you sail by Stromboli it is quite amazing.

Our bags are packed, our luggage is tagged and tomorrow we will all be off and gone our separate ways very early in the morning. This has been such a perfect time for us to celebrate our life together surrounded by those people we love most in the world. Our hope is that everyone has had a great time...and we think they have AND that they remember sharing this time together as they continue to explore the world!

July 5th- A Day At Sea

Bonzai in the Dining Room

Dining & Living Space-plus desk with window

We had a glorious day at sea on this July 5^th. Slept in and had room service breakfast. We gathered our third and last round of laundry, read and relaxed. All through the morning various groupings of the kids dropped by to chat. Kate and Bill did a big round of packing and repacking of clothes that were going back to Sydney or NC.

We went to a special lunch for those Mariners with 3 and 4 stars. Lots of people wore their big medallions but we had chosen to leave ours at home in the interest of the weight.  It was a small group of folks and we had some interesting conversations. The Front Desk Officer sat with us and she was full of information. An Australian couple had been aboard another Holland America ship just before this cruise and they watched a couple who had not participated in the lifeboat drill be forcefully escorted from the ship and not permitted to sail. They do say that now if you don't do the drill you will not be permitted to sail and I guess they mean it!.

The Front Desk Officer said before the Costa disaster they were fairly casual about all of the safety stuff but the protocol has changed and EVERYONE must be present or they will not sail. Makes good sense to me.

Ella and her porthole creation

Ella did the Club Hal program and made tons of crafts. Her porthole using markers, paper plates and foam sea creatures was so cute. She proudly brought them down for us to see.  I believe the Club Hal program for that age must keep the Crayon Model Magic in business- based on how much she used.

Will and Christopher said $150 each for a tour of the backstage of the ship. They saw the engine room, the bridge, and talked with the Captain. They visited the laundry, the galley, and a place where the CO2 of each stateroom could be monitored. They checked out their own suite to see the CO2 level. Will said the worst job he saw was the guy who labels ALL the dirty laundry with those tiny laundry mark strips. It never occurred to me that that gets redone every time you send even the same piece of clothing to the laundry. Different colors are used to indicate the day and service required at that time. They learned that the flowers on the ship are kept in the morgue- that has space for 4 bodies but was unoccupied at the moment.

Ella and Kathryn did a Family Photo Scavenger Hunt around the ship. They came to show the photos they had taken of all the spots on the list. We heard lots of noise on the open decks and we decided that is what it was since they had 30 minutes to complete the tasks.

Kitchen/Pantry

It was a glorious day sitting outside on the balcony and watching the water glide by while being cooled by a gentle breeze. We have been so spoiled by this space. 

Our Kitchen/Pantry has a full-sized refrigerator, a commercial microwave, a serious coffee pot and its own private door for the wait staff. The buffet in the Dining Room contains enough silver flatware to have a real party. What a marvelous place to entertain.

Ella and Jack

Bill’s family dropped by to share some photos. The Photo Gallery makes it possible to purchase digital images and the copyright so all can be shared. Here is the Barnett crowd boarding the ship and also Ella and Jack the first formal night.  Jack came to deliver the message that it was “unfair” that we had to get off the ship in 2 days. I certainly agree with him about that!  This has been so wonderful. Being together but with the opportunity for each family to explore the ports, the ships, and cruising life in their own style. 

July 4th in Athens

Established in the sixth century BC, Piraeus is Greece’s third most populous city. The protective Long Walls, which guarded the route between the port and Athens, were begun in 478 BC and the harbor expanded considerably as Athens funded a powerful navy.  We were docked bright and early after a fairly rapid sea voyage to get here. There were several other cruise ships in view, lots of ferried going back and forth and several private yachts to be seen. We were in amongst tall buildings and they all had solar panels on their roofs. The solar panels had round, bright silver things that turned all the time. We decided they must be exhaust fans of some sort.

Our crowd had a tour at 10:00 and they all left the ship at about the same time to meet the guide. They were so pleased with the guide and her knowledge and enthusiasm. Ella and Kathryn had decided to spend the day at The Children’s Museum where they saw some animals, found a children’s library with a few books in English and ate lunch. They had a big adventure getting back to the ship because the taxi dropped them off at a different spot. They wandered and wandered and thankfully got back- even though they were bait weary and hot. 

The rest of the group learned a great deal about Athens from the guide.

They saw a large rock from where Paul preached and of course the renovated Acropolis, an Athenian icon. The guide talked about a temple built 2000 years ago and then said beneath that was some real history.  Acropolis means “high place” and ancient people believed the gods lived in the clouds so high places brought them closer to those they worshipped. The first residents moved to the mountain in 3500BC and by 1400 BC it was the royal dwelling.

Ella at The Children's Museum

The ruins of the Temple of Athena are at the Acropolis. This was one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, built between 470 and 432 BC. The guide was, as most Europeans are, very politically savvy and outspoken.  She said Athens has lots of refugees from countries “visited by George W Bush- especially Afghanistan and Iraq. She pointed out places where people were executed for various crimes and indicated the place where traitors were hanged. She said those politicians who agreed to the bailout and restriction should be hanged there- that what they did was treason. Feelings do seem to run high about the economic situation all around.

Aft Elevator Doors

We continue to be amazed by the beauty of this ship and by the luxury of our living space. There used to be an official art tour but now there are iPods available to tour on your own. Holland America normally spends about $2,000,000 for art on each ship. How lucky we are to be seeing all of this!

Card playing Together

Michael, Jack, Kate and Ethan

Sunset- July 4th

We hung out together in the afternoon with Kate playing cards (Kings on Corners) with the younger guys and the rest of us chatting about the day. We all went to dinner together and then both families went swimming- seems to be a great way to end the day. Jack and Ethan and their family came to visit. The little guys were dressed most appropriately in pajamas with stars and stripes. We all rejoiced at the birthday of our country and also remembered Grandmother Barnett- who would have been 101 today. She would have loved to have been here!

The sunset was beautiful and Kate, Bill, and Will hung around until about 11:30. Great fun!

Kusadasi, Turkey-July 3

Kusadasi, Turkey

The city of Kusadasi, Turkey has grown from a tiny fishing village to a sprawling city that attracts many tourists each year. One of the main attractions along the Aegean Sea are the beaches but each time we have been here we have explored the Ancient City of Ephesus. Long held as one of the showpieces of Aegean archaeology is the reconstructed and still emerging city. It was once a powerful trading post and a center for the worship of the goddess Artemis. The Roman counterpart for Artemis is Diana, both goddesses of the moon, hunting, and chastity.

Celsus Library in Ephesus

The Ionians built a temple to her honor in Ephesus and this became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. During the Roman period the temple honored Diana. Naturally today only remains can be seen.  Other important structures in Ephesus include the Celsus Library which was the largest of its day, ter Terrace Houses with their beautiful mosaics, and the 25,000 seta amphitheater where the Apostle Paul preached. There are also the remains of the municipal baths and a brothel….plus the ever popular public toilet.

The guide our group had was wonderful with good stories that, according to all who went, made the place be more alive. Unfortunately Bill returned with Ethan who had gotten sick. He took a nap and then recovered. He and Ella hung out in our suite for the afternoon. Gradually all the little kids ended up here. With the attraction of the iPad. Who can remember life before all these electronics?

Kusadasi Yacht Basin

Ataturk Statue

The harbor is lovely with lots of yachts and other small sailing ships. The Turkish flag flies very prominently on the shore and the statue of Ataturk guards the city. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey. Atatürk was a military officer during World War I. 

After the tour the guide had recommended a spot for lunch so all our crowd ate yummy food. Bill dropped Ethan off and he was able to meet up with them for a little shopping and lunch.  They had a great rug weaving demonstration at the Women’s Guild- a very special place where what the women earn actually goes to them and not their husbands. They learned a great deal about the process of silk worm to silk thread. Jack and Christopher even got to tie a few knots. The Cheeks bought a rug- small enough to carry it home. 

We had made an appointment with the photographer to come here and do a family portrait. Was may hope to get everyone in a pictures since we haven’t all been together since November 2007 and have no idea when it will happen again. Overcome with being tired and other issues, Ella wouldn’t be in the picture. We all tried hard. She and Kathryn looked lovely in almost matching white dresses.

Christopher is doing a great job trying different foods. Tonight he ate 4 bowls of chilled strawberry soup. He has had coconut soup, rhubarb soup and something peachy, I think. 

Bill was really under the weather  in the evening so they didn’t come to dinner. He did manage to struggle through the picture.

 Later Bill, Kate and the guys did come down to watch the sunset and once again say thanks for, as Jack keeps saying, “this amazing cruise.” It is amazing!

Santorini- July 2, 2012

Sailing into Santorini

Got up early to watch us sail into Santorini. This was once an active volcano known as “Round Island” but a powerful volcanic explosion in 1620 BC blew it apart. A huge chunk of solid rock shot straight up in the air, landing in the sea with such violent force, it spawned a catastrophic tidal wave. Many scientists believe the disaster wiped out the late Minoan civilization on Crete 70 miles away.

It looks like many separate islands but really it is one piece of land mass. The watery separations are places where the remnants of the volcano rim are submerged. The area is so deep that ships cannot anchor but just stay in place through the engines.  To go ashore passengers must use local tenders so those boats are busily going back and forth from ship to shore all day.

We are at the base of the town of Fira, a charming, pedestrian-friendly community of mostly shops and restaurants. It is the town you most often see on travel posters of Greece- blue roofs, white buildings and spectacular cliffs.

Cable Car to right and Donkey path to left

There are three ways to get to the town- a donkey ride, a cable car ride or a walk along the donkey path. Bill's family did the cable car up to the top. Ella and Kathryn rode a very mean donkey up the hill to Fira. Will and Christopher had much the same experience. The animal tried to scrape their legs against the wall. When they got to the top Ella was upset so the two of them rode the cable car back down and Ella hung out with us for the rest of the day. Will, Kathryn and Christopher explored the town and ate yummy food. Kathryn called from a restaurant perched on the ccliff and, with the aid of the binoculars in the suite, I could see them waving. Bill’s family also was eating in a restaurant that was clinging to the side of the hill.

We can see the cable car and also the donkey trail up the hill. It is a steep, long way to Fira Town. But the area is so beautiful with bright white houses sprinkled across the top of the hill and almost sliding down the side.  The beaches in the area feature red, white and black sand.  The red and the black sand are volcanically created and absorb heat easily.

The Nashville part of the family rode donkeys down because the line was so long for the cable car. Bill's family walked down for the same reason. Bill and Ella spent some time playing a game on the iPad as some other rested or chatted.

The moon in the evening was spectacular and people came and went from our suite. We had all shared dinner together and now was the time to relax and catch-up. Terrific fun!

The Regent ship Seven Seas Mariner is in port today also. Reminds us of our terrific cruises with Regent and our cruising friends, Bos and Kathy. Also thinking about the wild APCE Cruise in 2000 and Sue and Jade. Being on the Noordam also reminds us of our last journey on this ship with another set of friends, Bill and Lucy- the ones who introduced us to the life of cruising 21 years ago. Miss you all- wish you were here!