Photos: Snapshots of Rome

Italian policeman on the street; in the Colosseum at day's end.

Victor Emmanuel statue/monument; St Paul outside the walls.

Coin toss into Fountain of Trevi; fountain in St Peter's square.

St Peter's Square; Creation of Adam ceiling frescoe, Sistine Chapel.

Putti abound in the Vatican museum; The Holy Spirit alights.

The Wonders of Rome

My first journal entry: "Dianne's birthday!" A toast to my lovely sister en ausencia.

Much like sitting in a theater watching an action-packed movie, Rome registers in my mind as mesmerizing sequences of flickering visuals. Was I watching from the sidelines or really, a participant?

We began our tour at the Vatican museum (organizing the masses? they've got it down pat!) The beauty of the frescoes, the harmony of sculpture - seemingly, every inch of wall, ceiling, door & floor, a canvas palette potential. Stories of the Bible coming alive as we walk, mouth agape. And, what can possibly be said about "The Sistine Chapel" that hasn't already had comment? Grace & Beauty in delicate brushstrokes everywhere you look.

St Peter's is amazing: the expanse, the stained glass, gilded work, marble, opulence & sense of holiness, timeliness is inescapable. We received special permission to go under the Basilica to the Vatican Necropolis, aka "Scavi". Incredible! Secret excavations starting in 1939, gradually revealed that St Peter's bones are actually buried here, which we were able to see!

The next day, a city bus tour gave us a sense of Rome at rapid speed. I was comforted to note Victor Emmanuel (1st king of Italy after unification) is still charging on his steed in front of his "wedding cake" memorial monument. Of course, we tossed coins in The Fountain of Trevi, gawked at the architecturally perfect splendor of the 120 a.d. Pantheon, period columns, ancient rubble & unaffected city life in constant motion. Visiting St Paul outside the Walls was the obvious conclusion to our tour - a beautifully reconstructed version/embellished after fire damaged most of the structure in the early 19th c. Seeing the Colosseum by early evening light was such a visual delight, the golden sunlight emphasizing the splendor of that massive arena.

Our last team meal together -- the team leaves for home early tomorrow am.

Photos: the Ruins of Pompeii

A stone face of Pompeii by Steve; life among the ruins.

Pompeii street scenes - can you hear the archaic whispers?

Photos: Ancient Corinth

Temple of Apollo in Corinth; Steve's pix, a ferry sunset.

Fountain of Peirene; head of Dionysus mosaic, Corinth.

A Cruisin' Birthday!

After a quick stop at ancient, now rubbled, Corinth, our imagination in tow, we boarded the super-fast (ferry) to Bari, Italy. Cabins were sparkly clean, nicely presented & with only a little cabin switcheroo imitation of the proverbial "Chinese fire drill", we headed for a well organized on-board group dinner that was actually pretty darn good. Steve devised a personal delivery of a birthday treat of a yummy chocolate dessert, oh, yes, & milk of course to wash it down. How sweet!

We arrive in Bari the next am, in time to snuggle up to Pompeii columns around noon. I hadn't remembered how the city had encroached upon the walls around the ruins when I was there so many years ago but once inside, the erosion of time brought the town to life. Can you feel the townspeople rush about their daily tasks, long robes swish through the streets as they hasten to buy their goods, kids chase each other, play games, wooden carts clap down the cobbled streets? A different time was 79AD; & same as now too... Maybe I kept looking over my shoulder expecting to hear another rumble from Mt Vesuvius. The first real rain was short lived; sun gleaming on puddles, created a musty smell inside the concrete structures, adding to the atrophy of the ages.

Rome: our final destination tonite.

Photos: Crete & Santorini

Dizzing view to port of Fira, Santorini; Calendar photos abound.

Donkeys share pathways with people; donkey rider.

Mighty Medusa & gold bee pendant in Crete's Archeological Museum.

Inside Greek Orthodox church, Crete.

Crete by Morning, Santorini by Afternoon

Inside one of Crete's orthodox churches, we lasted only about 1 hour of the 3 hour service and not just because men sit on the right side, women on the left nor by the pungent fragrance of billowy incense and lullaby incantations! Colorful biblical stained-glass depictions presented inside spider-webbed leaded glass windows, gilded iconic scenes, worshippers lighting wedding-cake terraced candle holders upon entry, whose slender white tapers barely melt down before an designated church monitor plucks them from their holders only to be replaced by a candle from the next worshipper. Without knowing the Greek tongue nor the progression of the service, I occupied my time on photographic moments! Couldn't leave without seeing the head of St Titus inside what looked like a big Ferrero Rocher gold candy wrapper encased in glass.

Later, Steve & I wandered through the quiet Sunday streets, finding ourselves inside a scaled down (ie. in renovation) Archeological Museum. Few but quality items on display, included pieces as old as 6,000 b.c. - wow! - frescoes, intricate bee pendant & mighty Medusa!

Santorini is just like all the calendar photos we've all seen. A funicular ride to the top and we were perched like eagles, looking dizzingly down rooftops & strips of narrow pathways below, our cruise ship, a dot in the vast blue liquid water. Houses jammed into rock holes, picturesque; we opted to walk down, side stepping colorfully mounted donkeys & riders & their 'residual'!

Photos: St John in Patmos

Local transportation; Monastery of St John the Theologian.

Orthodox monk offering wares; Grotto of Revelation.

St John's Years in Patmos

Inside a nondescript white walled church atop rock whose outside lintel mentions the Grotto of Revelation is the cave of St John; once inside the church, a rather humble natural stone cave found by walking down steep & narrow, terraced staircases. Note that you must subsequently climb back up those steep & narrow, terraced staircases! Most have to duck under an area of the overhead rock. "Evidence" indicates St John was actually in the cave writing the Book of Revelation by pointing to "his head rest", "hand support" and "area where his scribe marked down the narrative", indentations in the stone. Hmmm.....

A short bus ride away & further uphill is the upper monastery which was founded in the 11th c. by Hosios Christodoulos (a mouthful of a name, eh?) and called the Monastery of St John the Theologian. It appears as a walled fortress and was actually a protective garrison against pirates! Brownish stone exterior castle-style chess piece towers contrast whitewashed walls, dotted by tourists hurrying to & fro.

Arrival in Kusadasi/Ephesus, Turkey

The current Ephesus had faded into ancient history, its citizens the victims of malaria from receding waters due to a silted harbor, and decline of trade in a transitioning era away from idolatry. Remaining townspeople moved a few miles further to settle alongside the current Aegean sea waterfront. The good news is Ephesus remains wonderfully intact. Famed for the temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world; Library of Celsus, her shrine; statue of victorious Nike; largest outdoor amphitheater; sophisticated aqueducts, bath complexes and public toilet systems. When St Paul lived in Ephesus, he was embroiled in dispute with its idolatry vendors. In the shadows I could imagine the whispered flutter of ancient robes, vendors enticing passersby with their wares, the congregated lingering of men in conversation; walking down the bleached stoneways reminded me so much of Petra although I didn't have an opportunity to sit down on a public toilet in such a full view of other tourists! Before boarding our cruise ship, we had a short stint in Kusadasi at one of the many factory showrooms where we got an intro into the art of rug weaving and design. Beautifully handmade rugs with prices to make Antony & Cleopatra flinch!

Photos: Ancient Ephesus

Ephesus amphitheater; lintel with Medusa detail.

Steve at Samson pillars; the Library of Celsus.

Mykonos and The White Rabbit

Evening view of Mykonos; the waterfront pier at dusk.

Mykonos cafés facing Little Venice; entrance to Lena's house.

Arriving in Mykonos close to dusk gave us a quick impression of the landscape before the evening curtain fell. Although the cruise schedule allowed us only a few hours, we traipsed around the tiny downtown labryinth of passageways and paths to inhale a sense of the port town. Grey street stones that resembled cobblestones were paint-outlined in white, appearing like a fantasy island setting when contrasted against bright white, smooth stucco exteriors with shutters and doors in rich crayola primary colors of blue, orange, green, or red. I shouldn't have been surprised if a white rabbit popped out of nowhere!

A short walk quickly placed us high atop an outlook watching the sun set, Mykonos' picturesque windmills squatting at the waters edge in the distance. High class well-lit boutiques, outdoor café tables & chairs perfectly set with bright white coverings awaiting patrons who hadn't yet arrived, a posted menu, sometimes a bottle of wine, flowers, plants or romantic candles beckoned passersby; another time, it might have been some beautiful woman in repose, waiting, gently swaying a leg crossed over the other, tamping a cigarette into a glass ashtray glancing about for her anticipated partner.

We accidentally "found" Lena's house, a late 19th century home left intact just as the owner, Lena, had willed it to remain. Now, furnishings stay just as they were. It's basically a museum and interesting to see how an upper class Greek would have lived at the time.

Drifting past Little Venice, the waterfront area of houses built out over the water, and cafés whose tables extended like the spread of lava poured out their front door, our ears ringing with a cacophony of loud music, youthful laughter and chatter conversely mixed with the aromas of cigarette smoke and luscious culinary items, we waved Mykonos 'bon voyage'.

Considering Athens

'Get in & get out' was the usual mantra quoted. So, I didn't think Athens would be one of my favorite places and certainly the traffic, smog & congestion of 11.3 million, (yes! million!) people would make anyone feel like a blade of grass on a baseball field. However, with a manageable plan and some great friends (our pilgrimmage group), I began to feel like I could get excited about this city!

We walked a lot, climbed onto whatever wasn't prohibited, peered through anything closed, and tasted a delightful variety of culinary offerings. The Greek people smiled and chatted easily despite daily distractions of both internal and external political agendas.

A big smile goes a long way...

And, what about all those people flocking to the earth's navel, Delphi to worship Apollo where he slew Python, or distressed Aegeus leaping to his death at the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion? Guess after all that emotional mythology, next stop was serenity-based Mykonos, springboard for an island-hopping cruise tour.

Photos: mainland Greece & Mykonos

charming mykonos: cafés awaiting patrons, eye-popping

crayola hues trimming whitewashed buildings,

stone outlined paths, glimpses of island life,

flashlight beam sunsets, marina juxtapositions,

church steeple outlines, and US southwestern style landscapes.

done hunting for the spirit of the delphi oracle, steve rests.

one of athens' many cafés, even one inside ilias lalaounis

jewelry museum; his jewelry creations. frescoe in

church of the apostles.

hmmm..what's for lunch? frida kahlo in athens!?

steve eyeing the local deli; arches, acropolis amphitheater.

temple of poseidon, cape sounion; acropolis gleaming by night.

outside acropolis amphitheater;temple of poseidon,

cape sounion.

detail frieze depicts battle of theseus w/the pallantids;

standing in front of the hephaesteion temple built 415bc.

the acropolis in repose; the erechtheion w/athena's olive tree.

at the acropolis complex; en route to delphi:plaka in arachova.