Hello! I am home from a wonderful family vacation. On Friday, July 3, 20 of us (16 family plus four extras) set forth on an epic trip. DMC Livery picked us all up and dropped us at the gate for Turkish Air. We flew out after 9 pm, arriving in Istanbul after a long flight. After a brief layover, we then went on to Athens.
A shuttle from the hotel where we would spend that night met us with a sign saying GLINES. We piled in, and finally arrived. We survived the night, and had a lovely breakfast on the top floor, where the Acropolis stood in the distance. A mini-bus took us to the port. When I saw the size of it, and then looked at all of us, plus a good amount of large luggage, I seriously questioned how it was going to happen. Miraculously, it did happen, though it was like being in a clown car! Next move was boarding the Norwegian Pearl.
We made it onto the ship, and then a bit later, to our rooms. I think we all slept pretty well that night.
We left the port of Piraeus, and arrived in Santorini the next day. The weather for the week was quite hot, and it seemed to be the hottest on that first full day. We headed out on an excursion, which involved taking a tender to the pier, and then a larger boat to Santorini. Santorini is the result of a volcanic explosion, and we were sailing in the crater.
It was all uphill, of course. Walking was not easy; uneven ground and sidewalks, slanted steps, and narrow passageways. Add to that the extreme heat, and the pressure of trying to keep up with a group. Needless to say, a cold beverage or two was enjoyed during the trek. I am very happy to say that my “new” knees held up very well!
With so many of us traveling together, we were not all together on outside excursions. Often there were groups of four or five, who chose to do something specific. Those of us who walked around in Santorini were pretty wiped by the time we got back. The heat really does make it tough. We took water with us when we were out and about—an absolute necessity.
Our next day was Olympia (Katakolon). Some of us had no excursion planned, so we took a walk into a shopping area. It was busy, but there was no hurry. There were gelato shops on nearly every corner, so we took advantage of the opportunity to sit down and cool off a bit.
While on the ship, there was a group that made it to many trivia contests, karaoke, and other things happening. There were 80s dances, contests, and game shows.
On to Corfu—after watching The Durrells of Corfu, I was eager to see these views. It did not disappoint.
We went on a tour which stopped at a place where we sampled kumquat liqueur, cookies, and other goodies. They sold a variety of foods made of kumquats, as well as olive oil, and olive oil soap. We continued on to a restaurant (where we had this amazing view) and sampled traditional Greek foods, such as olives, yogurt, cheeses, and bread. It was there that I had the misfortune to lock myself in the WC. The lock was on the handle, and it was unlike any I’d ever seen. When I tried to unlock it, the door wouldn’t open, no matter which way I turned it. I then did what anyone would have done—I knocked on the door, and said “Help!” I didn’t shout, but did want to be heard. Fortunately, my niece Brenda and her daughter Maddie were very close by, and came to my assistance. After a few turns and pulls, I was free! If you know my sister, then you know it was good for some laughs!
We took the day off while in Dubrovnik. I later found out that there were nearby locations that were used in Game of Thrones, like King’s Landing and the Walk of Shame.
Friday evening on the ship, we had a special event planned. My nephew Brian turns 60 this week, and what better way to celebrate than on a cruise! We sat at three tables in the main dining room, all wearing our Hawaiian shirts (Brian has many of these shirts, so we all honored him by wearing one!), and waiting for him to arrive with his parents, Mike and Penny. When he appeared in the entrance, we burst into song with “Happy Birthday.” Then we all held up our sticks that had his face on it. It was a hilarious moment!
He took it well, and when the waiters brought his cake to him, “Happy Birthday” was sung again. One waiter took a photo and held it to his own face, and had quite a good time doing that!
Saturday put us in Koper, Slovenia. Several of us did a tour that day that took us to a wine fountain, and different locations where we could sample a variety of wines and foods for a small price.
On this day, Sarah and Colin left the ship and met up with Colin’s son, Gareth. Gareth left in January of this year, traveling to Bulgaria first. He has worked and traveled and had amazing adventures. Because we were “in the area,” they made arrangements to meet up for the day. They had a wonderful visit, and it was very hard to say good-bye that evening. Colin’s other son, Carrick, is currently on tour in Europe with American singer-rapper, Audrey Nuna. The two brothers have plans to meet up in Czechoslovakia in July.
On Sunday we began the long journey home. A bus took us from the ship to Marco Polo airport in Venice—nearly a three-hour ride. We had hours at the airport to wait, but the gate wasn’t posted until nearly time to board, so that was frustrating. Iceland Air was no frills, so if you wanted a meal, you had to purchase it. Coffee, water, and pillows—that was all that was offered. Brief stop in Reykjavik to change planes, then finally on to Boston. I got home around 2 am.
Everyone had an incredible time, and made memories to last a lifetime.
Here are some upcoming events:
A Greenwood Historical Society program on Wednesday, August 5, at 7:00 pm, at the Legion Hall in Locke Mills will be a panel of some of Greenwood’s oldest residents telling stories about “How life used to be” from people who grew up in Greenwood. It will be a great chance for new residents to learn “how it used to be.”
The Greenwood Historical Society Museums are open on Saturday mornings, from 10:00-1:00, July 18 through August 29.
Plans will soon be finalized for the annual Book/Craft/Bake Contest Event at the Whitman Library in Bryant Pond on August 15th, so stay tuned for further info.
If you have zany news or events to share, please send them to: lalalindastowell@gmail.com