Who: Linda Hammerton-Morris and Dean Morris of Castle Rock
Where: Athens
Out and about: Finally able to realize a long-desired dream, we set sail on Royal Caribbean from Barcelona, Spain, for a 12- day Mediterranean cruise. The ship made stops on the French Riviera; in ports close to Florence, Pisa, Rome and Naples, Italy; in Kusadasi, Turkey; and Athens, Santorini and Mykonos, Greece. We spent one day in Athens at the 1896 Olympic site and the Acropolis. To see and touch these beautiful antiquities after only reading about them and seeing pictures, we were awestruck by the age and size of the buildings. Sitting on top of one of the highest points in Athens, the Acropolis with the Parthenon offers a panoramic view of the city. One easily can see how the ancient Greeks worshipped its commanding presence.
Travel tip: As first-time visitors to the Mediterranean, we would suggest a cruise as the best way to tour. Take the shore excursions, see as much as you can, eat the local food and drink the local drinks – there is some pretty intense coffee to be tasted – and meet the local people. They are mostly warm and friendly, even if one is unable to speak the language. Watch out for pickpockets – they are everywhere.
