From New Orleans to Greece – Part 4
From New Orleans to Greece Continues. Check out the the other posts.
Santorini
Although Santorini, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Greece, it is also one of the most alluring and relaxing places on earth (and the most beautiful place I've ever been to at least), with the entire town being laid out in linear fashion along the rim of a caldera. Santorini is an intoxicating destination with mind-blowing vistas, and it was wonderful that we had the most time here than any other destination.
Above: Walkway leading to homes on the cliff looking over the sea.
Above: Entrance to courtyard in Oia, Greece – One of four framed pictures in my home.
We began our visit on our group tour where we were taken to a winery on the island, where we had native cheeses and a selection of wines. We then traveled to the hillside town of Oia with it’s blue domed churches that have inspired visitors for generations and where “cave homes” now go for millions.
Above: Blue dome church – One of hundrends throuhout the island.
Above: Oia, Greece – This is what I pictured when I thought of Greek Isles.
Above: Church bells on the Church of Panagia of Platsani.
Above: Home entrance in Oia, Greece.
Above: Another one of the four framed pictures in my home.
Above: Another church in Oia, Greece.
After leaving Oia, we rented an ATV and spent the afternoon visiting one of Santorini’s many beaches. The beach we went to was a black beach, which means it is a volcanically-spawned beach and has black sand.
Above: Black pebble beach in the Village of Kamari on Santorini.
There were also red and white beaches on Santorini with red beaches being composed of crushed lava sand. We were also treated to another incredible view, when we descended from the cliffside in a cable car to the port below.
Above: View of the island from the cable car.
Above: Waiting for the shuttle boat to bring us back to the ship.
Kuşadasi
Unlike all of the other destinations that we visited, Kuşadasi is very much a non-Western city with its melting pot of Turkish, Byzantine, and Roman cultures.
Above: View of Kuşadasi
Above: Beautiful waters of the Aegean Sea.
We first visited Priene, an ancient Greek city that was never rebuilt after it reached its height in the 4th century. The ruins of the city were incredible, with huge portions of it left intact, and intricate carvings displaying exceptional craftsmanship.
Above: Greek ruins in Priene, Turkey.
Above: The Theatre in Priene, Turkey.
Above: The Temple of Athena in Priene, Turkey.
After we left the ancient city, we explored the ins and outs of an ancient theater. This Turkish site was completely accessible, with no areas roped off or restricted, thereby allowing us to discover the many dark corridors and incredible brick work.
Above: The Theater of Miletus
Above: Roman baths in Miletus
We also visited The temple of Artemis, which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and has been rebuilt three times since its original construction. Our trip concluded with a meal in an authentic Turkish restaurant.
Above: The Temple of Apollo in Didyma, Turkey
Come back next week for the final part – Athens and Messina.