Trip Report Our 19-Day Mediterranean Adventure – Greece, Turkey and the Search for Free Wifi

Finally, right? It seems like I’ve been waiting forever to start this, but really we’ve only been back three weeks! And in that time I’ve lived in a hotel for two weeks and driven across the country from Washington DC to our new home in...wait for it...Las Vegas! For some reason I have chosen now, surrounded by boxes that need to be unpacked, as the time to start my trip report. Stalling maybe? :D So here it goes!

What: A massive 19 day (13 days on the cruise with 6 more including travel time and extra days in Europe) trip extravaganza. A 12 night Mediterranean cruise with a day in London beforehand and a few days in London and Barcelona afterwards. So yes. This is going to be a long stinking trip report. Oh, and I took 5239 pictures. On my camera! That doesn’t even count the Instagram/iphone photos you’ll see scattered throughout the report.

Great day in the morning.

Why: Because cruises are awesome mostly. But also because I was able to do a last-minute 11 night Med cruise back in April of 2010 with my daughter and some other family and friends, so this was a makeup cruise for my son and husband. It worked nicely as a graduation trip/present. :)

When: June 13-July 1, 2013

I booked this cruise the day it came out, back in January of 2012.

As time got closer we realized it was going to get crazy. My daughter was going to have to miss the last day of school, my son was graduating from high school the Saturday before the trip, we had a house full of family that whole weekend and a big graduation party on Sunday, he then left and was coming home one day early from his senior trip to make it on time, and we were moving across the country to Las Vegas so our household goods were all moved the day before we left. Then the kids were traveling with their youth group to Scotland 3 days after the cruise ended, so it really didn’t make sense for us to come all the way back home and we needed to stay in Europe for three more days before we dropped them off in London Heathrow. Got all that? Yes. Like I said, a little crazy.

Totally worth it though. :)

Who: Us! Here we are a few days before we left! This picture is a celebration of the whole Whiting family – but mostly Chase. The high school graduate. Also appearing in this photo are myself-Tammy, hubby-Stephen, and daughter – Ally.



My parents! My parents were on our last Med cruise, and have been in several of my trip reports. They had quite the trip in store for them. Here they are in Monaco:



My in-laws! My in-laws were also on my last Med cruise, as well as a few other cruises with us, so they may look familiar if you've ever read one of my reports. Here they are in Palo:



My brother-in-law! Scott has appeared in a few trip cruise trip reports as well. He’s the oldest of three boys with my hubby falling in the middle. Here he is in Mykonos:

 

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
It was not easy to convince myself to try it! But I'm glad I did! Let's do it together!
I know you love the Magic. It's going to be even better I'm sure! You know I'll be posting a gazillion pictures!
That med bill was over $5000 by the time the cruise was done. $5000!!!
Yay for insurance!
All my pictures made me want to go back immediately! Would it be wrong for us to eat Palo brunch at 10:00 on the girls cruise and then move to Remy brunch at noon? :)
He was excited! He liked it! He said he was going to skip dinner and go to dinner with Ally later that week, but he made it to dinner too!
I'm with Chandler. :)

I could seriously hurt myself with the Palo brunch + Remy brunch. I wonder if they would let us try it! We can call it the Dream Brunch Challenge! LOL!

I'm totally down for trying to get up for a sunset. Hey! Now that I have a (lowly little in comparison) DSLR maybe I can learn about shooting the sunrise!

Didn't we agree at one time that we were going to eat at Palo or Remy every night of the girls cruise??? Hmmmmm...... Y'all will be rollin' my big butt off the ship! :hilarious:
 

Crush Dude!

Back from WDW!Counting down to DLP in November!
Thanks, Lisa! :)



Definitely dislike!! That's the total you must pay. Then you file with insurance who pays you back. Ouch indeed.



It is the last place you want to be sick! That bill (and being quarantined) is why people avoid medical!!

Do it! Even if the sunrise isn't worth it, the empty ship is!

3 days!!

It was amazing. I can't believe how many pictures I took!

I love the empty deck and ship i would be snapping pictures like mad haha :D

And yep you sure did take ALOT of pics and thanks i know we wont go wrong with the brunch for sure :D
 

joanna71985

Well-Known Member
I love the sunrise/morning pictures!! And Palo...oh my!! I can't wait to eat there on the cruise

And your poor mom! That's horrible she got so sick on the cruise (that bill is crazy!)
 

S.I.R.

New Member
Tammy! I'm in front of my laptop feeling a little bereft of words. those pictures of the brunch were nothing short of amazing! They kept coming and coming and coming and coming... Not only do they look great (you got great bokeh in the background) but now I'm hungry. This post totally makes up for every trip report in which you said you forgot to remember to take food pictures lol. I can't wait to see Greece through your eyes or should I say lens.
 

WishIWasAtWDW

Well-Known Member
I haven't been on the forum that much lately with us selling our house but I am happy to report that I caught up again! :D I forgot to mention in my first reply that I absolutely LOVE your decorations for Chase's graduation party. So super cute! I have to admit that I am not on Pinterest. :jawdrop: Crazy. I know. The real reason is that I know I will become addicted so I am trying to avoid it. Once we get a new house I don't think I will be able to resist the urge anymore. Hahaha

It goes without saying (and I'm going to say it anyway), your photos are GORGEOUS! Breathtaking pictures. I love that a couple approached you to give you photography advice. Hahaha

Oh my word. Those pictures of the food at the Palo brunch...A-MA-ZING! I want to go to their brunch immediatley. I may need to book a cruise before my October 2014 cruise because I don't think I can wait that long to try that delicious food! :p

That is so sad about your Mom getting pneumonia. I am shocked at that bill! :jawdrop: Thank goodness for trip insurance is right! Crazy.

I can't wait to read more of your Mediterranean adventures!
 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I could seriously hurt myself with the Palo brunch + Remy brunch. I wonder if they would let us try it! We can call it the Dream Brunch Challenge! LOL!

I'm totally down for trying to get up for a sunset. Hey! Now that I have a (lowly little in comparison) DSLR maybe I can learn about shooting the sunrise!

Didn't we agree at one time that we were going to eat at Palo or Remy every night of the girls cruise??? Hmmmmm...... Y'all will be rollin' my big butt off the ship! :hilarious:

Seriously!! They would totally let us. We. Would. Explode.

I love the empty deck and ship i would be snapping pictures like mad haha :D

And yep you sure did take ALOT of pics and thanks i know we wont go wrong with the brunch for sure :D

You definitely won't!

I love the sunrise/morning pictures!! And Palo...oh my!! I can't wait to eat there on the cruise

And your poor mom! That's horrible she got so sick on the cruise (that bill is crazy!)

You're going to love Palo, Joanna!

It is crazy. Crazy!
 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tammy! I'm in front of my laptop feeling a little bereft of words. those pictures of the brunch were nothing short of amazing! They kept coming and coming and coming and coming... Not only do they look great (you got great bokeh in the background) but now I'm hungry. This post totally makes up for every trip report in which you said you forgot to remember to take food pictures lol. I can't wait to see Greece through your eyes or should I say lens.

Well that is so nice, S.I.R.!
They did keep coming and coming. You're totally right, I do forget all the time. Slate is clean now! :)
I need to break out the big lens more. If you want to see bokeh, you need to see the big lens.

Okay, I'm only on page 8 (I'm reading a bit slowly), but your pics are sooooo pretty. You have me pricing out a Med Trip. !

Thank you, akayw0718! It's worth every penny!

I haven't been on the forum that much lately with us selling our house but I am happy to report that I caught up again! :D I forgot to mention in my first reply that I absolutely LOVE your decorations for Chase's graduation party. So super cute! I have to admit that I am not on Pinterest. :jawdrop: Crazy. I know. The real reason is that I know I will become addicted so I am trying to avoid it. Once we get a new house I don't think I will be able to resist the urge anymore. Hahaha

It goes without saying (and I'm going to say it anyway), your photos are GORGEOUS! Breathtaking pictures. I love that a couple approached you to give you photography advice. Hahaha

Oh my word. Those pictures of the food at the Palo brunch...A-MA-ZING! I want to go to their brunch immediatley. I may need to book a cruise before my October 2014 cruise because I don't think I can wait that long to try that delicious food! :p

That is so sad about your Mom getting pneumonia. I am shocked at that bill! :jawdrop: Thank goodness for trip insurance is right! Crazy.

I can't wait to read more of your Mediterranean adventures!

Yay! Hello again, Ashley! :)

I am hardly ever on Pinterest these days for that exact reason. It sucks you in!! It's good for specific events though! I forgot to post a picture of one of my favorite things I got from there - push up brownies trifles! In push up Pops!! They were awesome.

Thank you so much! I would never approach someone and offer unsolicited advice! You just never know who you're talking to!

Yes. You may need to go just for brunch!

That bill was awful!

More coming tomorrow! :)
 

erstwo

Well-Known Member
Okay first - I saw this TR and was all, "WHAT???? AGAIN????" and then I looked at your 'joined the site date' and thought, "Oh nevermind, it's an old one." But then I remembered that this new site set up is different (darn you progressive technology! :)) And so now I'm back to, "WHAT???? AGAIN???" And even though I don't like cruises I do like Europe.
So I'm jealous.
There. I said it. :D
And I saw the graduation photo!!! Where is he going to college? (If you're allowed to say on a public forum, which I totally understand if you'd rather not! o_O) I am excited to read, but I probably shouldn't stay up all night, so I'll be back.
How fun! (but I'm still jealous :bored:)
 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Okay first - I saw this TR and was all, "WHAT???? AGAIN????" and then I looked at your 'joined the site date' and thought, "Oh nevermind, it's an old one." But then I remembered that this new site set up is different (darn you progressive technology! :)) And so now I'm back to, "WHAT???? AGAIN???" And even though I don't like cruises I do like Europe.
So I'm jealous.
There. I said it. :D
And I saw the graduation photo!!! Where is he going to college? (If you're allowed to say on a public forum, which I totally understand if you'd rather not! o_O) I am excited to read, but I probably shouldn't stay up all night, so I'll be back.
How fun! (but I'm still jealous :bored:)

It's okay, Erin. It's good to come clean. Lol!!
He is going to Lipscomb University in Nashville. He's loving it so far!
Do not stay up all night! It will still be here. :)
 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I went to see Dad and Mom. She was in the clinic for another IV round and not feeling any better.
Dad showed me where to go. If you’ve always wanted to see the clinic, here’s your chance to see it without being there for bad reasons!







The clinic was somewhere I had never been, and let me say I was shocked! I pictured one tiny room with a doctor, maybe a bed and a chair. I had no idea it was so big! It was truly like a miniature hospital!

My poor sad mom. Don’t worry, I had permission to take this one. :)



They saw a different doctor today. An infectious disease doctor from Emory who told her she wouldn’t feel better for 1-2 weeks!! Weeks!!

Dad said if Mom went to sleep, he may try to get off later and go to the Acropolis. They hadn’t been to Greece before, so I hoped he would be able to. I gave him my directions and we were off.





 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We caught the shuttle to the port entrance. Then started walking. This was looking back at the terminal at the entrance:





The walk to the metro was a decent walk. Probably 20 minutes or so. At one point we found free Wi-Fi next to a bus stop and all stopped, of course! :)

Look! Greek! We really are in Greece!





We hugged the water until we turned into town at one point. My directions weren’t quite right and I was a little worried about Dad trying it later.







 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The ship is through there!



See?







Right before the metro we crossed a bridge over the street:





We got to the metro where we were warned from the guy at the ticket window to watch our valuables. Apparently we were not supposed to take pictures in the station because this guy yelled at me right after I took this.



We stood next to a train for a while not realizing it was the one we wanted to get on. We realized it right as it was about to pull out. Stephen stuck his arm in the closing door to try and stop it!!
Stuck his arm in a soon to be moving vehicle!! Like it was an elevator or something!! The door shut and didn’t reopen! :eek:

I almost had a heart attack.

Thankfully he was able to work his arm back out and we got on the next train with all limbs intact.

 

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
There were two ticket windows and the one for the line we were in suddenly closed when it was about halfway through the line. With no warning!

So everyone grumbled and moved to the other line. When I got to the front I found out Ally was free! Woo hoo!

We needed sustenance before we resumed the long walk to the top. There was a snack stand across the way thankfully. We bought some frozen lemonade and oreos.





After our snack of champions, we headed up!




http://tammywhiting.smugmug.com/Tra...12940_P7tMHx#!i=2730179324&k=T5MNVZ7&lb=1&s=A

http://tammywhiting.smugmug.com/Tra...12940_P7tMHx#!i=2730179324&k=T5MNVZ7&lb=1&s=A

http://tammywhiting.smugmug.com/Tra...12940_P7tMHx#!i=2730179324&k=T5MNVZ7&lb=1&s=A






 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom