Two Cities and a Few Islands

My husband asked me to write something about our recent trip to Istanbul, Athens and our Mediterranean cruise. So I put a short +/- 250 word summary together and figured why not just add to my blog too. Of course, there's lots more to our holiday than 3 paragraphs worth of stuff but it's a start. When I have more time I really want to write a thorough review of each city and of our 5 night cruise...but for now here's the company newsletter friendly version.

Istanbul is a vibrant, bustling and modern city where its rich past contrasts so well with 21^st century life.  It’s a beautiful place. So safe.  So clean. So alive. As a Muslim traveler this was our favorite place. Stunning mosques, great (Halaal) food but at the same time we were not confined or limited by this mostly Muslim city. Around nearly every turn there was a bit of Europe, a bit of old-world and a bit of Islam. We truly experienced the best of east and west in one place. A definite must-visit city if  you don't mind the crowds and tour groups at the historical sites and if you love shopping.

The best part of our visit to Greece was definitely not Athens. What we loved about Athens was the arts and culture, the outside dining and the history. What we hated about Athens was the price of everything being really high (R750 for a cab from the port to the airport), some areas felt unsafe and the strikes, the feeling of unrest with the presence of riot police around the streets of Athens was a constant reminder of Greece's economic turmoil.

The best part of Greece was our magical cruise on the Aegean Sea. Calm waters, lovely islands and a fantastic mix of people. The most beautiful island was definitely Santorini and the village of Oia as well Mykonos and Rhodes. The Mediterranean is a very popular cruise destination so the islands and ports get very busy with several huge cruise ships in the ports at once but a cruise to the Greek Islands are a definite for beginners to find your cruising legs.

Despite the long flights and waiting on the airports, it was an amazing two and a bit weeks.