gourmet Italian Dishes. I literally felt like Cinderella that evening, favourite evening on the ship. Amazing moments shared underneath the beautiful stars and beautiful Mediterranean Sea.
It was midweek and time to explore Turkey. While navigating along the Turkish coasts I remember just standing outside the ship looking at the blue deep sea and filling my lungs with the fresh clean air. "Thank you mother Nature" I thought to myself.
Izmir, known for its' beautiful ceramics is Turkey's 2nd largest city after Istanbul, located within a beautiful bay surrounded by beautiful hills. We spent the day shopping and socializing with locals and indulging in awesome Traditional Turkish delights.
Off to Istanbul we sailed, a great excursion we went on. Turks are so respectful and treat every person with such appreciation, and have an interesting culture and beautiful mosques. I got to learn more about Muslim beliefs and customs. With the sea of Marmara which separates the Black Sea from the Aegean Sea in sight we made our way to the Blue mosque (Sultan Ahmet) the only mosque open to tourists and the public.
I learned to respect and appreciate their choice in religious customs. I loved the Grand Plaza where one could literally get lost in the shopping stores. With such beautiful items to choose from, Turkish hand made bags, ceramics, clothing, jewelry, Turkish delights and lanterns we were in shopping heaven, we were constantly offered apple tea by the locals and greeted with warmth.
We soon realized it was time for our last destination. Beautiful Dubrovnik, Croatia where I wish to one day return for my honeymoon once I get married. The Dalmatian coast is charming as one sees a picturesque hillside when approaching by boat. Dubrovnik is one of the most attractive destinations on the Adriatic Riviera. As I walked through the cobbled streets I knew I'd have to go back with a loved one and have them share the beauty of Croatia.
My trip ended with sailing back to Venice, from where we flew to Turkey and connected through Abu Dhabi and the Seychelles. What an amazing trip of a lifetime this was. Thank you to the Klerksdorp Record and God for blessing me with this opportunity of a lifetime. I have been bitten by the traveling bug and there are many more places I wish to explore by the grace of God.
We soon felt the ship moving and off we were to Bari, the second biggest city in Southern Italy where we explored Bari and saw the Saint Nicholas monument and cathedral. While walking through the grid pattern straight roads one could smell the variety of pizzas and enjoyed interacting with locals as we were welcomed with such love and appreciation as tourists. I personally had the best time in Italy Bari as I felt more connected to the place during my European tour.
Off to Katakolon, Greece we sailed. Goodbye Lovely Italy! It was now time to see all the ruins and sites which one learned about through the study of Greek Mythology. From Katakolon we drove to Olympia, the pastoral site chosen by the king of gods Zeus where culture was promoted among the Greeks. We took horses to travel along the gates of Olympia and were given a tour of the sacred walls of the sanctuary where all the temples and religious buildings are situated.
Katakolon reminded me of our very own Stellenbosch in Cape Town, many vineyards and beautiful scenery of mountains and beautiful tranquil green sites. Greece was very special because of the history there, these sites are things I learned about and just the mere fact that I was there just moved me completely I found myself in silence thanking God for this great opportunity. It was soon time to board our ship and sail off to Izmir, Turkey.
As we arrived to our cabin rooms we were notified that it was the official Gala night hosted by our captain. This was one night for us to dress up in our evening gowns and celebrate in traditional formal ballroom dancing and experience a life of affluence, sophistication and prestige. The Gala Dinner was amazing, being served a 5 course meal, gourmet Italian Dishes. I literally felt like Cinderella that evening, my favourite evening on the ship. Amazing moments shared underneath the beautiful stars and beautiful Mediterranean Sea.