Izmir

Day 2 or 3 depending on when we are starting count...

This morning, we got up at 6 and went for a run, a Starbucks and breakfast in the hotel, (btw: the breakfast was the best hotel breakfast either one of us has ever eaten. Beautiful eggs and cheeses. Even the coffee was good. The juice... Well, it can't all be perfect...) we needed the sustinence after our run. We went from the hotel up to the main drag and ran down the hill, back up the hill and to the traffic circle and back twice. On our first trip to the traffic circle, two drunk and unkempt Turks appeared in our path and started cat calling. One actually reached out and grabbed Maureen, while I was able to elude the other. Maureen threw an elbow and got away. It was a little scary. Neither one of us had ever been so aggressively "pursued" before so that was a new one for the both of us.

Nonetheless, we were feeling like we had accomplished quite a bit by the time we made it to the airport at 11:00 for what we were told was a 1:00 flight. We had another Starbucks, ate some nuts, listened to a bunch of American school kids sing while they were waiting for THEIR flight... We did this until 1. At 1, we queued up to board the flight. We were on by 1:15. It was only then that the ground crew began loading the bags. They scanned every bag before loading them on. At 2:15, we were STILL sitting on the tarmac. Our cruise ship is underway at 5:30, from Izmir. At this point, I am thinking we are NEVER going to get there. Maureen, who has typically been the optimistic one is also starting to doubt whether or not we are going to have an actual vacation that does not involve sitting in airports around the globe. As it stands, we have spent more time in airplanes/ airports since Friday at 4, than outside of them. It is Sunday. We did have a bit of excitement when we saw Hilary Clinton's big "United States of America" plane on the tarmac of the Istanbul airport. Had I known she was in town, I would have asked to hitch a ride with her... it wouldn't have hurt to ask, in any case...

In the end, the plane took off at 2:40, the same time that a baby began screaming. We listened to this new born squeal for the entirety of the 1 hour flight. I said in a rather loud voice, "If this were America, TSA would have escorted this screaming brat off long ago." Just call me a 'goodwill ambassador...'

We landed, collected our bags, which we were forced to check against our will, and exited the airport. (Did you know that you have to clear security as soon as you enter the airport in Turkey, and once you exit, you cannot re-enter, even the public spaces, without being scanned again?) There was no nice man holding a sign with our names on it. We waited and watched the clock. We had no number, no address, no instructions how to find the cruise ship. Now, it may be obvious to some, er, many of you that you just go to the port and there is the cruise ship. I am not a cruise-taker. While I might assume that the ship would be in A port, I wouldn't ever presume to know WHICH port, especially in a place where I do not speak the language. So, we waited a little longer. The ship was meant to set sail at 5:30. By 4:15, we were still weighing our options. Maureen went up to the taxi captain, who spoke very little English, and asked where the port was. He really understood nothing. At one point, a taxi, excuse me, taksi driver came up. He also spoke no English, however operating on the assumption that two Turks who speak no English make one who does, they began trying to crack the code of the two American women before them. At a certain point, the captain made a phone call and then handed me the phone. I spoke a very tentative "hello" down the receiver, to which I heard, "yes, where do you wanna go?" in very clear but heavily accented English. Thank GOD! I explained the situation. he asked if I meant to go to Izmir or Kusadasi. I said Izmir and he said, "well, then, you want to go to the port. Hand me back to my friend." In 30 seconds, we were in a cab and headed to the ship. We all agreed that the cab ride wouldn't cost more than 45 Turkish Lira, and sure enough, it came in under bid at 42.50. We got on board, into our spacious (I'm not being sarcastic, it is bigger, nicer than several of the rooms we have stayed in on our journeys...) cabin.

We have fallen into school trip, beach week on the med hell. Everywhere you look you see 16 year old scantily clad kids swilling alcohol or running down the halls of the ship. We even encountered a set of bare footed girls who wanted to use the exercise equipment in the gym today. Maureen chased them out at one point, but, like a couple of bad pennies, they were back in a few minutes, still without shoes, and testing the boundaries. We just let it go... Dr. Phil's 'would you rather be right or happy' mantra came to mind.

We ate dinner in one of the buffets tonight. Not exceptional, but passable. We are looking forward to eating one night in the 'you pay extra for actual good food' restaurant here on board, and then eating in our favorite restaurant in London on Sunday, Cecconi's. (Note to self... make a reservation for Sunday!)

After dinner, we picked up a bottle of Bailey's from the duty-free gift shop and came back to the room. We watched a little TV and had a little nip, then at 10:30, we went up to the "Metropolitan Lounge" where we were serenaded by "The Cristal Entertainment Team," which consists of, what I assume are an Asian husband-wife team, husband who plays the synth and wife who sings the hits. Sipping a pina colada (yes, insert Rupert Holmes here) and a chocolate martini, we listened until 11:30, when "Billy" came out for a sing-along of modern and traditional Greek melodies. We retired to the "Stars Lounge and Disco" and enjoyed some more hits for a few minutes when we decided enough was enough, and called it a night.

Tomorrow, we are not really sure what is going to happen... the latest edition of the "Cruise News" hasn't appeared under our door yet. But, regardless, we'll be up at 6 to hit the gym by 7 and breakfast by 8. We will be in Piraeus tomorrow, but only for a very short time. It is my understanding that there are no excursions tomorrow, so we will be on board for the duration. Not really sure how that is going to work. But, at least there is a gym with an elliptical machine and we can get our exercise in. AND, neither one of us has been seasick yet. Although, we are both wearing the little wrist bands. I am afraid to take them off, as they seem to be working. But, unless I take them off, I won't know if they work, or if I simply don't get seasick. Better to be safe than sorry!

Maureen and I are having fun, even though it sounds like we are doing a lot of complaining. It is just that it is not what we expected, However, it is ALWAYS and adventure. We hope that you are enjoying your Spring Break/ Holy Week, even if it is adventure-free!

kalispera!
(good evening in transliterated Greek)