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THURSDAY MORNING | May 17, 2007
Cruising the Aegean and Ionian Seas en route to Sicily
Aboard Holland America's Rotterdam

Hi!

A few days ago we boarded our handsome ship near Athens, to begin a 16-day journey through the Mediterranean and into the Atlantic Ocean bound for London. Along the way we'll visit some of Europe's greatest cities including Rome, Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Seville. From time to time we'll keep you updated with our progress.

However before we visit today's great cities, we began our journey on Tuesday morning in one of antiquity's legendary cities, Ephesus. This visit began on a high note when our longtime Ephesus guide, Eti, greeted us warmly and began to unfold the amazing story of Ephesus.

Ephesus ruins

Library of Celsus

Though founded by the Greeks, Ephesus blossomed during Roman times. Anthony and Cleopatra came to visit, stepping on the same stones we walked upon today. Of course, you may recall that the Apostle Paul came here to preach to the Ephesians. Spacious homes were decorated with delicate frescos and intricate mosaics covered the floors. Hot and cold running water coursed through the terra cotta water pipes and a sewer system carried away the garbage. The three-story library of Celsus once contained some 25000 papyrus scrolls.

Eti told us that the city's decline began when the harbor began to fill with silt, and the resulting pools of stagnant water provided breeding pools for mosquitoes that spread malaria through the city. With this mysterious illness and a useless harbor, the inhabitants abandoned the city. Over time neighboring villagers carried away many of the building blocks and the others gradually disappeared into the hillside as winds covered the area and earth reclaimed the land.

Mosaic of Lion with Buffalo

Rediscovered in the 1860s, archeologists have gradually excavated the city's remains. Today it's a magnificent experience to walk downhill on the same streets once filled with chariots. We saw the remains of soaring temples and the merchants' shops that once filled the agora.

Perhaps the highlight of a visit to Ephesus today is a visit to the recent excavations of four Roman villas. Strangely, cruise ship excursions walk right by these villas without a glance inside. We were virtually the only visitors to see the detailed mosaics and the surprisingly bright frescos on the walls.

Jean and Bill Wasinger at lunch with Turkish dancers

We finished our day at a historic hotel owned by the descendents of the last ruling sultans of Turkey. Overlooking the sea and Kusadasi's busy harbor, our garden setting provided magnificent views and an island of serenity. All of us enjoyed Turkey's fine cuisine, based upon the wonderful vegetables of the Mediterranean. For desert, Turkish-Russian folk dancers stopped by to entertain.

Yesterday, we sailed into the deep caldera of an ancient volcano, the harbor of the picturesque Santorini. The postcard-perfect weather allowed stunning photos. Unfortunately Santorini's charms attracted 5-6 additional cruise ships. The crowds of nearly 10,000 vacationers discouraged some of us from spending more time in this charming old town.

Today we'll sail around the tip of Greece's Peloponnesian Peninsula, then turn north to sail into the Ionian Sea towards Italy. Tomorrow we'll visit Messina, in Sicily, then visit Naples on Saturday. We'll tell you more in a few days. We're all healthy and having a great time.

Wish you were here!

Paul and Christine Niskanen