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Ahmet Erkun

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    The monumental staircase at Palazzo Altemps — MNR ... Rome, Italy.
    Palazzo Altemps ... looking across to the painted loggia — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Collection of artifacts from antiquity — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Early Imperial Period moulded glass piece — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Palazzo Altemps — Museo Nazionale Romano ... Rome, Italy.Statue of Isis (mid-2nd Century AD) — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Statue of Asclepius (2nd century AD) — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Statue of Ares (2nd century BC; restored in 1622 by Bernini) — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Painted Loggia ... Palazzo Altemps — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Detail from the painted loggia @ Palazzo Altemps — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Ceiling detail ... Palazzo Altemps — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Looking up through the staircase of the Pontifical Spanish College @ Palazzo Altemps — MNR ... Rome.Statue of Pan & Daphnis (Roman copy of a statue from 100 BC) — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Ceiling detail @ Palazzo Altemps — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Suicide of Galata (Gaul Killing Himself and His Wife) — MNR ... Rome, Italy.The Great Ludovisi Sarcophagus ... with scenes of battle between the Romans and Barbarians — MNR.Church of the Blessed Virgin of Clemency and of St Anicetus @ Palazzo Altemps.The monumental fireplace, which functioned as a funeral monument @ Palazzo Altemps — MNR ... Rome.Statue of Athena (modeled on a Greek statue type of the late 5th century BC) — MNR ... Rome, Italy.Palazzo Altemps — Museo Nazionale Romano ... Rome, Italy.

    Rome: MNR … Palazzo Altemps

    28 de octubre de 2023, Italia

    Leaving Roma Termini Station, Mui programmed the Museo Nazionale into his phone and we followed a bunch of back streets to get there. Turns out the directions took us to a museum housed in Palazzo Barberini … one that we had visited in 2018.

    What to do now? Why, visit the Museo Nazionale Romano instead. (That’s the MNR in the title of the footprint.) The museum, founded in 1899, is now made up of a number of locations. We’d been to Villa Giulia in 2018. Now to check out the site near Piazza Navona.

    Plugging Palazzo Altemps into Google Maps, we got our bearings and figured we could walk the 20-minute distance instead of fiddling with metro tickets. It was a pleasant walk that took us along streets familiar to us … a fun, reminiscing-sort-of walk … one during which we stopped at a café for Mui to do as Italians do and grab an espresso while standing at the bar That the streets weren’t packed with tourists yet was a bonus.

    Palazzo Altemps was designed in the 15th century for a relation of Pope Sixtus IV. In 1569, it was sold to Cardinal Altemps, who made further improvements to the palazzo. The family continued to live in the palazzo until it became a property of the Holy See in the 19th century. It was then used as a seminary for a short period of time. The palazzo was granted to the Italian state in 1982. Fifteen years later, after restoration work was completed, it was inaugurated as a museum in 1997

    What I really like about the pallazos-turned-museums is that often, in addition to the art on display, there are beautiful ceilings and frescoed walls to enjoy. This palazzo was no different.

    My favorite of the rooms at Altemps was actually the painted loggia. Commissioned in the mid 1590s, the ambiance of the loggia is of a secret garden … done in the trompe-l’oeil illusionistic painting style. The similarity between the frescoes here and the drawings Raphael made for tapestries commissioned by Pope Leo X would seem to indicate that the artist was inspired by Raphael’s work. The loggia was where the Altemps’s collection of the portraits of the Twelve Caesars was once displayed. Today, of the twelve busts on display in their place, only eight are thought to be actual representations of Roman emperors.

    The exhibits at the Altemps were mostly large-scale statues … with a small collection of artifacts of antiquity in glass cases on the ground floor. That the next museum we visited leaned more towards paintings was not a conscious choice on our part, but served to balance our day nonetheless.    Leer más

  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Waiting for our train to Roma Termini Station — Civitavecchia, Italy.
    A comfy upper cabin for our ride to Roma Termini.Our 8:37a train from Civitavecchia is scheduled to arrive at Roma Termini at 9:34a.

    Civitavecchia, Italy: To Roma Termini

    28 de octubre de 2023, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Off the beaten path sightseeing in Rome.

    That was our alternative idea for this port of call when renting a car to visit Viterbo turned out to be not so viable. The problem was that the agencies closed by mid-day on Saturdays and would not allow us to drop off after hours. Bus and train service to Viterbo took two to three hours … longer than we were willing to set aside for public transportation. A private taxi for the day was over-the-top expensive … drivers preferring the more expensive charters to Rome.

    So, the siren call of Rome won out over exploring somewhere we’d not been to before …. was the easiest to accomplish by train. Although we’ve spent 4+ weeks in the Eternal City, we were sure we could find some new-to-us places to visit.

    [By the way, this is mostly a “tips to get from Civitavecchia to Rome by train” footprint … in case you want to skip reading it.]

    It was 7:15a when we left the cabin and walked down the gangway. We were docked on the land-side pier, so getting to the shuttle buses that take visitors through the busy port to Della Pace — the shuttle station just outside the port — was easy enough.

    Since it was so early, and there were just six of us on the bus — all heading to the Civitavecchia train station — the driver did us a favor. Instead of taking us to Della Pace, he offered to take us to the port gate by the castle, which put us within a 5-10 minute walk of the station. He more than deserved the tips we all left to thank him for the favor.

    (It’s so nice to be in a port where we are familiar with the logistics. But things do sometimes change. In this case, I noticed that the public buses that take visitors from Della Pace to the train station now come right up to the terminal, so that would have been a good alternative if the shuttle had not worked out.)

    There was a stiff breeze off the water as we walked along the waterfront to the train station. We were glad to have our rain jackets with us to use as windbreaks. The walk was brisk and refreshing.

    Instead of going into the station to buy our tickets from the vending machine, we went to the Ho-Ho office that sells train and tour ticket combos … next door to the station … just follow the “Buy Train Tickets Here” signs. The line is shorter — non-existent today — and they are happy to sell train tickets only as well. R/T for €9/person … open tickets so we could take the first train out that fit our schedule and not have to worry about making a particular train on the way back.

    Alas, the 8:01 train to Termini departed within a minute or two of our arrival. As it was on binario [platform] 4, we could not get to it in time. Darn! The next train wasn’t until 8:54a. Nothing to do but validate the tickets and make our way to binario 4 using the underground passage.

    We were sitting there when the foursome we had traveled with on the shuttle, waved at us from another platform off to the side … near binario 1. Turns out that after we checked the departures board, another train had appeared on the list … this one a regional train that would take 20 minutes longer. Since, we would have had to wait at least that long for the 8:54a train anyway, we rushed, hopped on the 8:37a train, and off we went.

    We were lucky with our seats … in an upper cabin … two bench seats facing each other … no need to share with anyone since only two other passengers were up there with us.

    The trip went by quickly enough and we arrived at Termini on time … a miracle in Italian train travel.    Leer más

  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Lunch with Alev, a classmate of Mui's — Vomero ... Naples, Italy.
    From our sightseeing drive with Alev — Naples, Italy.From our sightseeing drive with Alev — Naples, Italy.From our sightseeing drive with Alev — Naples, Italy.Vesuvius uncloaked in the distance ... From our sightseeing drive with Alev — Naples, Italy.From our sightseeing drive with Alev — Naples, Italy.From our sightseeing drive with Alev — Naples, Italy.No trip to Naples would be complete without a photo op with Vesuvius — Naples, Italy.

    Naples: Bye Bye Naples

    27 de octubre de 2023, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Of the ships sharing Naples with us, Carnival Pride was first to leave … followed by RCL’s Symphony of the Seas. Then Oosterdam let its bow lines go. Since we had maneuvered to back into our berth this morning, it was full ahead for us … a full moon lighting our way … Vesuvius, a dark silhouette with its skirts a-twinkle with town lights, our companion.

    But before we wave a final farewell to Naples, I have one more short story to tell.

    By the time we left San Martino it was 1:30p. We were ready for a change of pace that would include a late lunch with Alev, a high school classmate of Mui’s, who lives in Naples with her Italian husband.

    The plan was to meet up for lunch at Gorizia, a pizzeria Alev had recommended in Vomero … in operation since 1916. We headed down from the museum on foot and found the place easily enough. Our get together was delightful. The chatter and laughter were nonstop … pauses just long enough to eat a bite of food … or take a sip of wine to wash down those bites.

    After lunch, Alev took us on a drive around Naples, stopping at a few piazzas and view points. By this time, Vesuvius was uncloaked and gave us a couple of good photo ops. As the afternoon shadows gave way to evening, Alev took us to Galleria Umberto I, a beautiful mall with a glass roof and mosaic floors. Here we bid her farewell, thanking her for showing us Naples from a local’s perspective.

    Treating ourselves to some artisanal gelato from a place near Piazza Plebicito, we found an elevator to get us down to the waterfront, and from there made our way back to the port where Oosterdam awaited us.

    Thus ended the first of a string of 10 ports of call that will fill the days ahead of us.    Leer más

  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Charterhouse Church and Monastery of San Martino ... from Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.
    Castel Sant'Elmo from the Charterhouse Church — Naples, Italy.The Charterhouse Church at the Monasterio San Martino — Naples, Italy.Ceiling detail ... Charterhouse Church at the Monasterio San Martino — Naples, Italy.Altar detail ... Charterhouse Church at the Monasterio San Martino — Naples, Italy.Mural @ the Charterhouse Church at the Monasterio San Martino — Naples, Italy.Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.Courtyard at the St Martin Monastery ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.Ceiling detail from the Prior's apartment ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.Funerary Monument by G. Santacroce ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.The vestibule of the Prior's apartment ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.The Cuciniello Crib ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.The Grand Cloister of Monasterio San Martino ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.The Grand Cloister of Monasterio San Martino ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.The Grand Cloister of Monasterio San Martino ... Certosa e Museo San Martino — Naples, Italy.Behind the altar of the Charterhouse Church — Naples, Italy.Looking out from behind the Charterhouse Church altar — Naples, Italy."View of San Martino and Sant'Elmo from the Pier" (F. Vervloet) — Certosa e Museo San Martino.Glimpse of the church and monastery entrance from the art gallery — Naples, Italy.

    Naples: Certosa e Museo di San Martino

    27 de octubre de 2023, Italia ⋅ 🌬 73 °F

    When I took a close-up or two of a church through the embrasures in the walls of Castel Sant’Elmo, I didn’t realize that we’d be heading there next … the Charterhouse Church and Monastery of San Martino.

    St Martin’s was one of the most important monasteries of the Carthusian monks. It was founded in 1325 as a complex following Carthusian rules. That is, it had a church, cloisters, and vegetable gardens. Not much remains of the original Gothic structure as much of it has been covered by decorative elements and stucco work that was added in the following centuries. After Naples was proclaimed a republic in 1799, the monks were forced to leave. Though they returned a few years later, their numbers were greatly reduced. In 1866, the monastery was handed over to the State, and a year later it became part of the National Museum.

    At first, the exhibits were linked primarily to Neapolitan history and were housed in the Prior’s quarters, the refectory, the old pharmacy, and the entrance hall. During the 1900s, the collections displayed grew and became more varied, and new sections of the monastery were added as exhibit space.

    We started out by checking out the Charterhouse Church, which was built between 1365-1368 as part of the original monastery complex. Beginning in the late 16th century, the Gothic structure underwent restoration work that added features that were Baroque in nature … followed by more restoration that added Rococo features to the interior … such as the amazing marble, gemstone, and bronze balustrade. We found the marble marquetry work especially beautiful and eye-catching.

    Then we went into the museum itself. The exhibited art was distinctly religious in nature. But there were also other interesting exhibits that had us spending time studying them. As well, the ceilings in several of the rooms were beautifully painted.

    One highlight here was the diorama entitled the Cuciniello Crib … so named for the donor of the pieces that make up the collection. Essentially a nativity scene exhibited in the monks’s kitchens, it includes shepherds, animals, works of still life, the procession of the Three Wise Kings, and more … all arranged to show everyday life in the 18th century. I found it interesting that the lighting went from dawn to daylight to dusk to night, changing the ambiance of the diorama. But I think it was also a gimmick to keep visitors moving along as most did just that after dusk fell on the scene.

    Another highlight was the Great Cloister. This common area would have been the center of activity in the lives of the monks. The original cloister was redesigned at the end of the 16th century in the Renaissance style. The landscaping was simple … though the arches around the quadrangle, and the balustrade of the Monk’s Cemetery — topped with sculptures of skulls — added eye-catching details.

    We strolled around the cloister before finding the stairs that took us up to the choir of the Charterhouse church, and behind the altar for a different perspective of what we’d seen earlier.

    The small gallery featuring paintings of Naples of old was our last stop here … an appropriate way to end our visit to the museum.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    View of the city from the Montesanto Funicular — Naples, Italy.
    Our proximity to the castle walls makes photography a challenge ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples.Looking towards the main entrance where once was a drawbridge ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.A glimpse of the Charterhouse Church from the ramp inside the castle ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples.City views through an embrasure in the castle wall ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.Piazza d'Armi ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.Piazza d'Armi @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.Note the interesting rain drainage system ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.From the ramparts ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.One of the guard towers on the ramparts ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.View towards the Tyrrhenian Sea ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.Cityscape from the ramparts ... Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy."Maternity" (R. Uccella) ... Novocento a Napoli Museum @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy."The Red House" (V. Ciardo) ... Novocento a Napoli Museum @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy."Funicular" (A. Chiancone) ... Novocento a Napoli Museum @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy."Hermaphrodite 2" (A. Perez) ... Novocento a Napoli Museum @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy."Untitled" (N.Longobardi) ... Novocento a Napoli Museum @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy."The Arrow of Time" (G. Castaldo) ... Novocento a Napoli Museum @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.Novocento a Napoli Museum @ Castel Sant'Elmo — Naples, Italy.

    Naples: Castel Sant’Elmo

    27 de octubre de 2023, Italia

    Once Oosterdam came alongside the pier, we made our way down to the gangway and joined the queue of independents ready to go ashore. The line wasn’t overly long as the ship’s tour groups were gathering in the Mainstage and would disembark from there. (Using two separate gangways to disembark passengers from a ship is brilliant IMHO.)

    In short order, the line began moving. There was good news to accompany the move … an hour had been added at the end of the day to make up for the delayed arrival. Oosterdam was now scheduled to leave at 8:00p.

    Off the ship, we exited the secure zone and walked towards the port gate. But before we got there, we found the underground tunnel to the metro. Perfect … since we needed to take Linea 1 two stops to Fermata Dante to then connect to the funicular that would take us up to Castel Sant’Elmo.

    Purchasing our tickets from the automated machine, our timing proved perfect. Hearing the ding of the doors, we ran the last few steps and got on the train that was about to depart the station. Before long, we were getting off and making our way above ground.

    Asking for directions from the locals, we walked the short distance to the Montesanto Funicular. Minutes later, we were being whisked up the mountain to the Morghen Station, the second stop on this two-stop funicular … an elevation difference of ~500 feet. Then, it was a matter of following the signs to climb further up the hill to get to the castle.

    Built by a Valencian knight in 1537, Castel Sant’Elmo is a transformation of fortifications that already existed at the time. Its six-pointed star shape is considered unusual, but the architect felt that having six points allowed cannons to aim in any direction. An added defensive feature of the castle is the thickness of the walls, which the architect said would be impossible to break down. He was right. The castle still sits intact atop Vomero Hill, proudly overlooking the city.

    After purchasing our admission tickets, we strolled up a gently sloped path to reach the entrance to Sant’Elmo. Before crossing the passeggiata into the castle, we stopped to check out the views and the colossal coat of arms of Emperor Charles V … consisting of the double-headed Habsburg eagle with wings outspread … two subjects, dressed as warriors, at its feet.

    From our perspective, the walls rose high, the lower half of the castle carved directly into the tuff — volcanic rock —to create the moat surrounding the fortifications. The upper walls were constructed of bricks made using the excavated tuff.

    We made our way up into the castle, using internal ramps that carriages rolled up and down back in the day, carrying food and supplies. And which pedestrians walked to get to and from the upper reaches of the castle. We peeked through the small openings that were used to launch incendiary devices at the enemy, and stopped frequently to enjoy the slightly-misty city views from the embrasures carved into the tuff walls.

    Our steps eventually took us up to Piazza d’Armi … a huge open space overlooked by buildings. Today, there were just a few people wandering around the square. Back in the day, a nearby sign explained, there would have been at least 200 people here carrying out their daily tasks. Besides the castellan, the civil and military head of the fortress, also living here then were the chaplain and the sacristans, officials, soldiers, guards, workers. These people resided and worked in the buildings along the perimeter of the piazza. There was also a butcher, a tavern, a millstone, furnaces to bake bread, vegetable gardens, a workshop to make bullets … and more.

    After wandering around the ramparts for a while, we returned to the piazza where we came to an art museum housed in one of the buildings. The Museum — Novecento a Napoli … 1910-1980 — exhibits a collection of art from 1910 forward … by Neapolitan artists and others who were in the city at the time. We went in to check out what was on display, but didn’t dally long as we had another museum to visit that Mui said would probably take up a lot more of our time.

    Soon, we were continuing with our loose plans for the day.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    On approach to Naples, veiled in the mist ... when Oosterdam begins a slow turn.
    Quick ... let's take a selfie in case we can't get ashore today — Naples, Italy.The sea is an angry kettle of white caps — Naples, Italy.Approaching ... inside the breakwaters.Castel dell'Ovo — Naples, Italy.Welcome to Naples — or Napoli, as the Italians call the city — Italy.Our sightseeing destination is way on top of Montesanto — Naples, Italy.

    Naples, Italy: Are We Going to Make It?

    27 de octubre de 2023, Italia ⋅ 🌬 72 °F

    For a minute there, it looked like we were going to lose Naples … as we did Kotor two days ago. But let me put your minds at ease. We made it. Here’s how our arrival story unfolded.

    It was 7:45a. We were supposed to dock at 8:00a. That clearly wasn’t going to happen as Oosterdam was still outside the breakwaters for the Port of Naples. The sea was an angry cauldron of white caps. The wind was blowing strong and steady.

    As we watched the shoreline, we noticed Oosterdam starting to turn. Oh oh! Were we leaving? Since no announcements are made over the P/A system before 8:00a, we’d have to wait a bit longer to find out.

    We continued to watch from the veranda. Oosterdam continued to turn. Our view changed to show us Vesuvius … veiled by mist and cloaked by clouds. Then, slowly, Naples came back into view again as Oosterdam completed a 360° turn.

    Just at that moment, the P/A came alive. It wasn’t Captain Rens, but Daniel, the Cruise & Travel Director. That was a good sign actually. After all, port cancelation announcements are in the purview of Captain Rens.

    Daniel explained that we were making our final maneuvers to line up with the entrance to the port. The bad news, however, was that we’d be late docking.

    No worries. It wasn’t like we were on a schedule today. We were just happy that we would not be losing Naples to the vagaries of Mother Nature.    Leer más

  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    1Stromboli ... Italy.
    Stromboli ... Italy.1Stromboli ... Italy.1Stromboli ... Italy.Stromboli ... Italy.Stromboli ... Italy.Stromboli ... Italy.Stromboli ... Italy.Stromboli spewing steam ... Italy.Stromboli ... Italy.

    At Sea: Stromboli

    26 de octubre de 2023, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Captain Rens brought Oosterdam to Stromboli for a bit of scenic cruising this afternoon. He even opened up the ship’s bow deck for our viewing pleasure.

    After the initial approach to Stromboli, and a 360-turn to ensure everyone had a chance to see the majestic volcano rising out of the sea, Oosterdam continued around to the other side of the island. It was on this side that we saw signs of frozen lava that had made its way down the side of the mountain.

    With the cloud cover rising, we also glimpsed steam coming out of the crater, and a couple of small eruptions that spurted ash through the white steam … and even one that gave us a glimpse of orange-red lava that rose through the steam only to fall back into the crater.

    Surprisingly there is a strong cell signal from the island on which the volcano sits … hence this quickie footprint.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    2

    At Sea: The Sole of Italy’s Boot

    26 de octubre de 2023, Ionian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    We are currently sailing under Italy’s boot on our way to the Strait of Messina. Just starting to make the turn up from the toe of Italy’s boot.

    Close enough to get a data signal from shore … thanks to our T-Mobile plan.

    (Sorry about any wobbles in the video. It is fairly windy along the railing of the Promenade Deck.)    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    On our way to Kotor ... or so we believe — Gulf of Kotor, Montenegro.
    Kotor is canceled and we turn tail to retrace our route — Gulf of Kotor, Montenegro.Gulf of Kotor, Montenegro.Passing Perast — Gulf of Kotor, Montenegro.Retracing our route through the narrow chanel to Tivat Bay — Montenegro.Fish farm — Montenegro.Bay of Tivat — Montenegro.Bay of Tivat — Montenegro.Leaving Kumbor Channel behind — Montenegro.Looking around Hercegnovski Bay — Montenegro.Celebrity Beyond deoesn't even attempt to go to Kotor and turns around in Hercesgnovski Bay.Tui's Marella Explorer makes an attempt ... and turns tail like we did to pass us in Hercegnovski.Mui waving down at me from deck 10 aboard Oosterdam — Hercegnovski Bay, Montenegro.I wave up at Mui from our deck 6 veranda aboard Oosterdam — Hercegnovski Bay, Montenegro.1Mui having fun with an "Oosterdam ears" selfie — Hercegnovski Bay, Montenegro.Leaving Hercegnovski Bay, Montenegro.Bye bye Montenegro!

    Montenegro & Out to Sea

    25 de octubre de 2023, Adriatic Sea ⋅ 🌬 68 °F

    Having completed the medical disembark and collected the crew that was to have embarked in Kotor, Oosterdam was on the move from Hercegnovski Bay around 11:15a.

    As we moved out towards the Adriatic, Captain Rens came on the P/A and updated us on the plans for tomorrow, which will remain a day at sea as originally scheduled. But, the timing of our transit of the Strait of Messina has been moved from nighttime to daytime. And we are going to detour to the Island of Stromboli to take a peek at the volcano that makes up the bulk of the island. So, we get to do a bit of scenic cruising tomorrow.

    I spent most of our time at sea on the veranda … despite the rather gloomy weather. Mui joined me part of the time … going to the watercolor session to entertain himself mid-afternoon. The veranda is well protected from the elements. So much so that we even managed to sit through the squall Oosterdam went through … thunder, lightning, and sideways blowing rain notwithstanding.

    All in all, while we hadn’t planned on being at sea today, we didn’t mind it much either.

    I took no photos after we left Montenegro for the open seas, so I’ll share the ones I took while Oosterdam was transiting its way out to the Adriatic.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Kotor ... no go — Tivate Bay, Montenegro.

    Kotor, Montenegro: No-Go!

    25 de octubre de 2023, Montenegro ⋅ 🌧 68 °F

    As you will see from the attached map, Captain Rens made an attempt to get us into Kotor. Alas, winds gusting up to 55 mph gave Mother Nature the upper hand and he regrettably had to turn the ship around and head back towards the Adriatic.

    The good news is that we’ve been to Kotor before. (How’s that for a silver lining spin on missing it on this cruise? 😉).

    At the moment, having gone through the Bay of Tivat and the narrow Kumbor Channel, we are at a standstill in Hercegnovski Zaljev (Bay). A light mist is starting to veil the scenery. But that is not why we are holding our position. Rather, Oosterdam needs to be cleared out of Montenegro before we can proceed. As well, we have a medical disembark and a crew change pending action.

    We will be at sea for the rest of the day.

    Tomorrow is scheduled as a sea day to get us from Montenegro to Italy. Will that still be the case now that Kotor is canceled? That is TBD.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023

    Day at Sea

    24 de octubre de 2023, Ionian Sea ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Had a quiet day at sea … cruising from the Aegean to the Med and up to the Adriatic.

    We spent the day relaxing … in my case, on the veranda most of the day … until it became bathed by the sun. It was a good day to process photos and draft up footprints for the past two days so that I can upload them when we get to Kotor tomorrow.

    Mui went to the art class mid-morning … “Creating Designs from Doodles: Bookmarks.” It was a “simple class,” but it helped to pass time. He’s looking forward to the watercolor classes promised by the instructor.

    We wrapped up the day with dinner in the Vista Dining Room, followed by tonight’s show on the Main Stage … featuring Cantaré, a quartet of guys from the USA.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Katerina's is inside one of theseLittle Venice houses ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.
    Welcome to Katerina's ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Katerina's ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mui raising a toast with ouzo @ Katerina's ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Delicious food @ Katerina's ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Had the balcony not been in the blazing sun, this would have been our lunch view @ Katerina's.

    Lunch @ Katerina’s

    23 de octubre de 2023, Grecia ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    On a back street, we found Katerina’s … a gem of a restaurant inside one of the Little Venice houses. The establishment is named for Katerina Xidaki, a local woman who at age 18 became the first professional female captain of a motor vessel.

    There were no tables available on the tiny balcony, which was in the sun anyway. So we gave up the scenery to sit at the only table available in the A/C-cooled dining room.

    The menu offered a selection of Mediterranean dishes, with seafood featuring prominently. We opted for a bunch of mezes (appetizers). The portions turned out to be quite large … saganaki; feta cheese wrapped in phyllo, deep fried, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds; calamari; and tempura-style zucchini slices with tzatziki sauce. Mui ordered ouzo; I opted for an Alpha, the local beer on the menu. Everything was delicious and plentiful, making us happy that Mui had not opted to also order the mussels. Dessert — a mix of baklava and kadayıf — was compliments of the establishment … and a nice wrap to a very nice meal.

    We continued our meandering stroll through the streets, making our way back to the harbor. We came out not far from the water taxi drop-off point. Having purchased R/T tickets this morning, we made our way onto the next taxi to depart. It was right around 3:00p … just as planned.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Welcome to Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.
    Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.The ship in the distance is Nieuw Statendam ... at anchor instead of Oosterdam — Mykonos, GreeceMykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Lower windmills from various parts of town — Mykonos, Greece.Lower Windmills ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Little Venice from a distance ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.A little closer to Little Venice ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Looking back towards the lower windmills... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.An interesting church ... Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Color of the day ... blue Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.

    Meandering in Mykonos Town

    23 de octubre de 2023, Grecia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    The only other time we were in Mykonos was aboard Celebrity Constellation … in 2013. On that occasion, we went to the Island of Delos by boat, and then returned to Mykonos Town, had a very late lunch before heading back to the ship. The short stroll we did then gave us some familiarity with the layout of the town today, which helped us make our way around easily.

    For this visit, I had planned for us to take the bus to the quaint village of Ano Mera. The ride, I read, was 20 minutes and busses departed every 30 minutes. Excellent. Except that when we got to the bus station on the far side of the harbor around 11:30a, we were told that the next bus was at 1:00p … even though the schedule showed one at noon. Time to jiggle our plans.

    The Archaeological Museum was temporarily closed. Mui wasn’t prepared with the necessary accoutrements to spend the day on one of the beaches with invitingly clear water. So, we decided on a meandering stroll in Mykonos Town followed by lunch. Using Google Maps to loosely guide us, we enjoyed the quaint atmosphere of the white-washed buildings sporting colorful doors and trims … mostly blue, but some red, grey, or orange as well. The narrow, cobblestone streets were delightful. That we rarely came across any others except the locals, added to the charm.

    Our meanderings took us up to a couple of windmills — icons of Mykonos … but not the more famous ones by the waterfront that are known as the Lower Windmills. One of the windmills we came to alongside a hilltop road had been restored; the other was not so lucky. Nonetheless, they both made charming subjects for photos … and they offered great viewpoints for aerial looks down to Mykonos Town.

    Eventually we made our way down to the windmills on the waterfront. A few clicks of the camera, and we made our way to a beach for a stroll to Little Venice … the historic houses that were built by the wealthy sea captains. Along the way we checked out a couple of places for lunch, but moved on when they did not prove satisfactory. That, in fact, worked in our favor … but that’s for the next footprint.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Welcome to Mykonos, Greece.
    View of the new port area from Oosterdam's Observation Deck — Mykonos, Greece.The small harbor from where the water taxis depart is a short walk from the pier — Mykonos, Greece.And we're off to Mykonos Town — Mykonos, Greece.Bye bye for now, Oosterdam — Mykonos, Greece.From the water taxi — Mykonos, Greece.From the water taxi — Mykonos, Greece.

    Welcome to Mykonos

    23 de octubre de 2023, Grecia ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    “A first for me,” said Captain Rena van Eerten in his welcome announcement for the Greek island of Mykonos when we arrived mid-morning. He was referring to the wind-free conditions of today. Indeed unusual for an island that is dotted with windmills.

    Our itinerary had us tendering into Mykonos Town. But we learned last night that we would be docking instead … at the new port … about a mile from town. That brought up the question of how to make our way to the town center. Though the distance is walkable, the narrow, curvy, busy road has no sidewalks. Thus walking was out. Would there be a shuttle service … like the one we used when we called on Mykonos in 2013? Yes, there would. But there was a better alternative this time … water taxis … for €2/person each way. Excellent.

    Disembarking Oosterdam, we walked across the way to the small boat harbor from which the water taxis depart. Within minutes we had round trip tickets in our pocket and were getting on the next departure to Mykonos Town.

    The 10-minute ride was pleasant … the shade on the aft deck where we stood welcome as it was a sunny blue-sky day and unseasonably hot … with no wind to mitigate the heat. Shortly after 11:00a, we were walking off the gangway and making our way into town.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Galataport is a hubbub of activity — İstanbul, Türkiye.
    Bye bye Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.A closer look at İstanbul Modern @ Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.Dolmabahçe (yellow buildings on the waterfront) — İstanbul, Türkiye.1Boats of every shape and size flitting across the Bosphorus — İstanbul, Türkiye.Leander's Tower — İstanbul, Türkiye.From the Blue Mosque to Topkapı Palace with Hagia Sophia in between — İstanbul, Türkiye.Topkapı Palace — İstanbul, Türkiye.Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) ... church to mosque to museum to mosque again — İstanbul, Türkiye.Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque) — İstanbul, Türkiye.Sailing into the sunset ... Sea of Marmara.

    Bye Bye İstanbul

    22 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    After lunch, we did a bit of shopping at Macro Center … a supermarket just outside the secure zone for Galataport and the cruise terminal. Then it was time to embark Oosterdam and prepare for the sail away from İstanbul.

    The bowlines were let go a little after 3:00p … the delay due to late arriving ship’s tours. Mui and I went up to the Observation Deck for the sail away so that we could move from port to starboard and back as warranted by the scenery.

    The Bosphorus provides a scenic backdrop for cruise departures from İstanbul. I just wish the smog/marine layer didn’t detract so much from the beauty of the landscape. Of course, the harsh mid-afternoon light did not help matters either. I clicked off a few shots nonetheless … just to have a few photos for this footprint.

    We’re now headed to the Sea of Marmara … and from there we will transit the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea. It will be nightfall by then, so I don’t expect to see much. No worries. We’ve done the transit through the strait before and know well what we will be missing tonight.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Hafız Mustafa has been serving delicious sweets in İstanbul since 1864 — Galataport.
    Turkish tea @ Hafız Mustafa ... Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.Su Böreği is a popular savory pastry ... Hafız Mustafa ... Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.Prepping the Künefe @ Hafız Mustafa — Galataport, İstanbul.Ready to dig into the künefe ... Hafız Mustafa ... Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.Mui's side order is a pistachio filled pastry ... Hafız Mustafa ... Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.

    Lunch @ Hafız Mustafa @ Galataport

    22 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    It was almost noon when we left İstanbul Modern. Our tummies were starting to growl.

    We briefly debated leaving the Galataport secure zone to get ourselves some lunch at a less touristy place. But then decided to do what we did in Dubai earlier this year … go to Hafız Mustafa for su böreği (a savory pastry with a cheese filling) and künefe (a sweet made from layers of shredded pastry [kadayıf] with cheese in the middle) … accompanied by Turkish tea.

    Our timing was perfect. No sooner were we seated at a table for two that the entire place filled up. We enjoyed our meal … taking time afterwards to share photos with friends and family while we still have our T-Mobile data. (On this cruise, we will only have internet when we are ashore in a port of call.)

    Mui’s craving for all-things Hafız Mustafa has now been sated … until next time 😄    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Today's sightseeing plan includes İstanbul Modern @ Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.
    Exhibit of photos highlighting the construction of the new museum building ... İstanbul Modern."Orphans" in Erzurum, Türkiye (N.B. Ceylan) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Forest" (S. Horada) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Against the Current" (G. Terkol) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Sparkling Colors" (N. Aladağ ... inspired by colorful Venetian blinds) ... İstanbul Modern."Trans-For-Men 11 (Fibonacci) by A. Kwade ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Big-Eyed Tongue-Tied Mountains Beneath Solar and Lunar Orbs" (H. Yang) ... İstanbul Modern."Caleb II" from auto parts (M. Bourouissa) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Abysmal - Logistics" ... Corinth Canal (M. Germen) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."The Boat" (A. Arbaş) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."The Fisher Boy & Cats" (O. Peker) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Race Car" (M. Güleryüz) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."The Magnificent Age" from the "Cones" series ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Skinless" (İ. Eviner) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye."Hand Globe" (S. Gürbüz) ... İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye.From the Observation Deck @ İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye.Galata Tower ... from the Observation Deck @ İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye.From the Observation Deck @ İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye.From the Observation Deck @ İstanbul Modern — İstanbul, Türkiye.

    İstanbul Modern @ Galataport

    22 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Located in its purpose-built new home, İstanbul Modern — an art museum that sits on the waterfront — is part of the Galataport complex.

    It had not yet opened to visitors when we stopped in İstanbul on our Insignia cruise in April 2022. The museum’s proximity to the cruise terminal made it an excellent choice for us today since Oosterdam’s scheduled 3:00p departure meant that we had a short day in port.

    We arrived at the museum five minutes before it’s scheduled opening at 10:00a and were amongst the few to enter at that early hour. A quick stop to purchase tickets — ₺120/person for 65+ ($4.25 at today’s exchange rate) — and soon we were making our way up to the first floor to begin wandering through the various halls hosting exhibits.

    Admittedly, modern art is not really our cup of tea. But the museum is very well done. And we did find a number of pieces that made sense to us. The interpretation of some of the others left us befuddled and scratching our heads. Nonetheless, the museum was worth the price of admission … more so when converted to USD.

    Our tickets also gave us access to the observation deck on the top floor … with a reflecting pool doubling our pleasure in the scenery around us.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Nusretiye Camii was commissioned by Sultan Mahmud II (built 1823-26) — İstanbul, Türkiye.
    Making memories ... Tophane Square ... İstanbul, Türkiye.Tophane Square Fountain ... commissioned by Sultan Mahmud I (built 1732) — İstanbul, Türkiye.Breakfast on the Karaköy waterfront — İstanbul, Türkiye.Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn and is a popular place for anglers — İstanbul, Türkiye.Süleymaniye Mosque — İstanbul, Türkiye.The Karaköy Police Station is housed in a beautiful historic building — İstanbul, Türkiye.Checking out a baklava store in Karaköy — İstanbul, Türkiye.Another baklava shop down the street ... we go into check out the decorative display — İstanbul.Nusretiye Camii & Tophane-i Amire Clock Tower — İstanbul, Türkiye.

    Breakfast & Karaköy Stroll

    22 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    Our second day in İstanbul didn’t start as early as we thought it would. No surprise I guess. It was well past midnight when we finally got to bed after settling into the cabin last night. Anyway, by 8:30a, we were off the ship to make the most of what time we had remaining in İstanbul.

    The plan was to have breakfast on the waterfront in Karaköy before doing a bit of museum-seeing.

    As we did yesterday, we took the metro from the station near Galataport to the Galata Bridge … just one stop. From there we walked to the waterfront where locals had mentioned that we could find a couple of places to have breakfast. We did. But not the kind of breakfast we were hoping for. In hindsight, grabbing breakfast at Galataport might have been a better idea. On the other hand, a quick breakfast saved us from dallying over our food and gave us time for a stroll.

    We ate our our simple morning repast as we watched anglers fishing from the Galata Bridge … ferries flitting here and there across the Bosphorus … seagulls looking for handouts. At that early hour on a Sunday morning, it was rather peaceful … which we enjoyed after the hubbub of İstanbul yesterday.

    From the Karaköy ferry landing, from where we walked to Galataport last night, we retraced our steps. After all, we had time before the art museum we planned to visit opened for the day. And, as it was a comfortably warm morning, getting some extra steps logged in did not go amiss. We meandered on to a few side streets to check them out along the way. Mui, of course, had to peek into the baklava shops along the way. But this time his wallet stayed in his pocket.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Leaving Europe on a ferry to Asia — İstanbul, Türkiye.
    Glimpse of Topkapı Palace from the ferry to Kadıköy — İstanbul, Türkiye.Sunset view from the ferry to Kadıköy — İstanbul, Türkiye.Dinner at Hamsi Pub in Kadıköy — İstanbul, Türkiye.Dessert at Hamsi Pub in Kadıköy ... delicious semolina halva stuffed with vanilla ice cream.Oosterdam and night scenes on the ferry back to Karaköy — İstanbul, Türkiye.Nusretiye Camii and Tophane Tower — İstanbul, Türkiye.Time to shop for sweets at Hafız Mustafa ... Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.Mui's selection from Hafız Mustafa ... Galataport — İstanbul, Türkiye.Galataport from our veranda — İstanbul, Türkiye.Galataport from our veranda — İstanbul, Türkiye.

    Europe to Asia to Europe

    21 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ 🌙 72 °F

    Having recently spent a few days in İstanbul with his friends, Mui had our evening in İstanbul all planned out.

    We were to take a cruise across the Bosphorus to Üsküdar; take another cruise to Aşiyan for sightseeing; make our way to Kadıköy for dinner; return to Karaköy … traveling thus from Europe to Asia and back to Europe in the span of a couple of hours … using public transportation to get us there and back.

    We started out by taking the metro from the station near Galataport to the ferry terminal. A lovely sunset cruise to the Asian side of the Bosphorus. So far, so good. A few minutes later, however, we were jiggling our plans. No cruises to Aşiyan this evening. So, we hopped on a bus to go straight to Kadıköy instead.

    Hamsi Pub, the place Mui had in mind for dinner, is located in the historic shopping district. There are still lots of shops where one can spend money galore, but restaurants and cafes line the streets as well … the tables filled with patrons enjoying a night out on the town … music blaring from loudspeakers.

    I wasn’t sure we’d be able to get a table on a Saturday night without reservations. But our timing worked in our favor as 7:00p is still fairly early by Turkish dining standards. From the tray of mezes (Turkish tapas) we selected a couple of dishes … supplementing them with a shrimp casserole and fried calamari. We wrapped up our delicious meal with a very tasty semolina halva stuffed with vanilla ice cream. Can you say yummy?

    The return ferry ride to Karaköy gave us a scenic nighttime cruise that we enjoyed from the back deck of the ferry. The ferry landing wasn’t too far from Galataport, so we got some steps in on the way back to the ship.

    It was 9:30p by the time we were back in the cabin. It was very tempting to just go to bed and leave the unpacking until tomorrow. With a short day in port, however, we decided to forego a bit of sleep tonight instead of losing sightseeing time in İstanbul tomorrow.

    Oh! I almost forgot. On the way back to Oosterdam, we detoured into Mui’s favorite shop in İstanbul — Hafız Mustafa. Conveniently, there is a branch at Galataport. A box of baklava, thus made it onto the ship with us 😉    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    1SS6052 on HAL's Oosterdam ... looking from the door into the cabin — İstanbul, Türkiye.
    SS6052 on HAL's Oosterdam ... looking towards the cabin door — İstanbul, Türkiye.SS6052 on HAL's Oosterdam ... en suite facilities — İstanbul, Türkiye.1SS6052 on HAL's Oosterdam ... spacious veranda — İstanbul, Türkiye.

    Embarked Oosterdam

    21 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    TK2313 landed at IST at noon.

    It took us another hour to taxi to the terminal, get bussed to baggage claim, collect our bags, walk to the metro station, and hop on the next train traveling from the airport in the direction of Gayrettepe. Since the metro line has not been completed to the last station yet, we hopped off at Kağıthane and hailed a cab to Galataport. By 3:00p, we were at the cruise terminal … glimpsing Oosterdam on approach, maneuvering to squeeze into its berth between two other cruise vessels.

    We had a bit of a wait while the ship completed clearance formalities and disembarked passengers for their shore excursions. Shortly after 4:00p, we were on our way to the ship.

    Since we would become “transit passengers” once we embarked Oosterdam, first we had to go through immigration formalities to exit Türkiye. Then onto the ship, where we went through the check-in formalities and received our keycards for the cabin. Yay!

    We had no trouble finding SS6052, our suite on deck 6 … our bags standing outside the door. In a previous footprint, explained why we are in a signature suite on this cruise, so I won’t go into that again. Suffice to say that our corner suite is quite spacious … and even better, has an oversized veranda. The decor is dated, however, and the wear and tear wrought by the passage of time since we were last on Oosterdam in 2018 is quite apparent. No matter. We will enjoy the extra space for the next 24 days.

    We did not dally in the cabin to settle in. Instead, once we had the luggage inside, we headed right back out to enjoy a bit of sightseeing and food.    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Transfer bus from lounge to aircraft — ADB, İzmir.
    Aboard TK2313 — ADB, İzmir.Fresh OJ ... hallmark of the company that caters THY flights — ADB, İzmir.

    Aboard TK2313

    21 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    A comfortable airport bus brought us from the THY Lounge directly to the gate where our air chariot — a wide-body B777-300 — was waiting for us.

    We’ve flown this aircraft many times … both internationally as well as domestically. Being familiar with the layout, we quickly found our seats — 2J and 2K — easily enough.

    The welcome aboard drinks have been served … fresh squeezed OJ was our choice. Now we await take-off!    Leer más

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  • TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
    Welcome to the THY Business Lounge — ADB, İzmir.
    Enjoying a cup of tea at the THY Business Lounge — ADB, İzmir.Breakfast buffet @ the THY Business Lounge — ADB, İzmir.Mui enjoying a large cup of Turkish coffee @ the Lounge — ADB, İzmir.Breakfast at the THY Business Lounge — ADB, İzmir.

    ... Another Door Opens

    21 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    The “door” in this case is a trip.

    We are still in İzmir, awaiting our flight to İstanbul in order to embark Oosterdam this afternoon for the cruise back home. That said, our annual trip to visit family is over.

    We had some Turkish Airlines (THY) Miles & Smiles points that were due to expire at the end of the year. So, we splurged and bought business-class tickets for the short hop to IST.

    Thus we begin our next trip in style ... waiting in the THY Business Lounge for TK 2313 to be called. Even better, we entered the airport through the VIP lounge ... thus avoiding the first of two layers of security that passengers have to go through at the main terminal.    Leer más

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  • Türkiye 2023
    Mert, our usual taxi driver, loads up the car for the trip to ADB.

    One Door Closes …

    21 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ 🌙 61 °F

    In this case, the “door” is a trip.

    While we aren’t leaving Türkiye until tomorrow afternoon when Holland America’s Oosterdam departs İstanbul, the family trip has concluded.

    We’re off to ADB for the flight to IST … embarking Oosterdam this afternoon.Leer más

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  • Türkiye 2023
    Lunch @ Basta La Pasta — Alsancak, İzmir.
    Lunch @ Basta La Pasta — Alsancak, İzmir.Prepping the parmesan wheel by scraping the cheese ... Basta La Pasta — Alsancak, İzmir.Then comes the boiling hot fettucine straight into the wheel ... Basta La Pasta — Alsancak, İzmir.3Mixing it all in the wheel to create a creamy cheese sauce ... Basta La Pasta — Alsancak, İzmir.Fettucine with a parmesan sauce ... ready to be served ... Basta La Pasta — Alsancak, İzmir.Mom's not happy to have her lunch interrupted for a selfie 😉 ... Basta La Pasta — Alsancak, İzmir.

    Lunch @ Basta La Pasta

    17 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    With Deniz leaving Türkiye tomorrow, the three siblings and Mui took mom to an Italian café for lunch.

    Basta la Pasta is small — maybe 6 or 7 tables. The menu is simple — a variety of fettuccine dishes and two or three other pastas, including lasagna.

    Delicious … and we all enjoyed the preparation of fettuccine in the Parmesan wheel.    Leer más

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  • Türkiye 2023
    View across the ravine — Doğanbey, Aydın.
    Doğanbey, Aydın.Heading up into the village — Doğanbey, Aydın.Restored house in Doğanbey, Aydın.Doğanbey, Aydın.Local mosque — Doğanbey, Aydın.Doğanbey, Aydın.Doğanbey, Aydın.Doğanbey, Aydın.Mui and Serenay taking a break — Doğanbey, Aydın.Panorama across the ravine — Doğanbey, Aydın.Doğanbey, Aydın.Ruins and restorations — Doğanbey, Aydın.Old and new — Doğanbey, Aydın.National Park Visitor Center — Doğanbey, Aydın.Skeleton of a Buteo buteo (hawk) ... National Park Visitor Center — Doğanbey, Aydın.National Park Visitor Center — Doğanbey, Aydın.Hoopoe ... National Park Visitor Center — Doğanbey, Aydın.Flamingoes ... National Park Visitor Center — Doğanbey, Aydın.Sustenance before the drive back to İzmir — Doğanbey, Aydın.

    Söke: Domatia = Doğanbey

    15 de octubre de 2023, Turquía ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Although the area we visited after leaving the ruins of Priene has a history dating back to the 7th century BCE, we didn’t go that far back in time.

    The original inhabitants of the old village of Domatia — now known as Doğanbey — consisted of a group of Greeks, who in the 1850s were allowed to settle here by the order of Abdülaziz, the Ottoman Sultan of that period. This Greek community lived here until the population exchange of 1924 that followed the end of the Turkish War of Independence. After they departed, some of the Turks who left Greece in the same population exchange settled in the village.

    The village is a mix of old and new stone buildings … some still in ruins … others restored to fit in with the historic ambiance. We wandered around the cobblestone streets first, Then we peeked into the visitor center established to introduce the native flora and fauna of the Meander River Delta National Park … which sits on the same peninsula as the village.

    We wrapped up our visit at a café where we enjoyed homemade lemonade and black mulberry juice … and nibbled on kourabiyedes and gözleme … a little sustenance before the 70-mile drive back home to Alsancak.    Leer más

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