The ship arrived in Canakkale, Turkey, where we had the morning free, and the group selected one of two afternoon tours – Troy or Gallipoli. Those visiting Troy, of course, saw a replica of the Trojan Horse and heard our guide, Jon’s, alternate theory of the battle of Troy. He believes that Troy experienced an earthquake, and the stone wall suffered enough damage to allow the Greeks to enter easily. They then offered Zeus, the god who created the earthquake, a wooden horse in gratitude. So much for the hidden warriors!  Those who went to Gallipoli visited the site where the Allied forces invaded the Ottoman Empire in World War I, now a cemetery and memorial dedicated to the more than 500,000 who were wounded or died there.

Replica of the Trojan horse

We started early for a full day tour of a Roman colony in Turkey, Aphrodisias, dedicated to the goddess, Aphrodite and, at its peak, had 50,000 inhabitants. This, too, was an incredibly large and well preserved site that included many buildings (and parts of buildings – columns, piers, etc.) and a huge stadium that could accommodate 30,000 spectators, and where wild animals emerged from the tunnels for Roman games. We were in awe of the artistry and immensity of the Temple of Aphrodite and Hadrian’s Bath.

We stopped for lunch and cold drinks at the Anatolia Restaurant and sat outdoors under a canopy of grapevines, serenaded by a strolling lyre player and his parrot. We returned just in time to freshen up for our World Affairs Council cocktail party, where the ship’s  lounge provided an awesome view and a chance for us to get to know one another a little better!

Council travelers enjoy a cocktail party aboard the Aegean Odyssey.

Our stop in the Cyclades was breathtaking and informative. In the morning, we visited the sacred sanctuary of the classical Greeks, Delos, reputedly the birthplace of the twin gods, Artemis and Apollo. We were told that, to preserve the island’s sanctity, no one was allowed to either be born or die there. The ruins, including the fabulous lions meant to protect the temples, were some of the most well-preserved and magnificent we’ve seen so far.

In the afternoon, most of the travelers walked through Mykonos,  along whitewashed buildings built along narrow streets, and most of which are heavy with shops and cafes. A lovely setting for a stroll along the Aegean!

Today we visited the archeological museum in the charming Venetian town of Chania, where we saw pottery, sculpture, mosaics and coins dating from the Neolithic period to the Roman era. A walk through the town allowed for a bit of shopping and refreshment. In the afternoon, the beautifully recreated Palace of Knossos,  in the ancient capital of King Minos, was our destination. In keeping with the Greek tradition of delicious food and flowing wine, we enjoyed a lovely dinner, then heard a wonderful lecture on tomorrow’s stop, Delos.

(Photos to come – the ship is blocking the upload!)

On July 4th, a couple of tour choices were available to us, and the group was split between a visit to Cape Sounion and Delphi. Again at the crossroads of history and  mythology, those who chose to go on the Cape tour went to the site of the ancient temple of Poseidon, and the promontory from which Aegeus plunged to his death when he mistakenly believed that his son died. Thus, the sea that consumed him came to be known as the Aegean. Our guide jokingly warned us not to walk too close to the edge of the cliff, as they would NOT consider renaming the sea! The group that went to Delphi reported that it was a fabulous experience.

Later, we embarked on our ship, the Aegean Odyssey, and met for a lovely dinner in the restaurant where we enjoyed lively conversation and a toast to American independence!

World Affairs Council travelers enjoying the beautiful Aegean coastline

On July 5th, we stopped in the town of Nauplia, the starting point for an interesting walk through the Agamemnon’s citadel of Mycenae and, in the afternoon, some of the group chose to take the tour of Epidaurus.

The Captain’s cocktail party on board the Aegean Odyssey provided an opportunity for some of our ladies to sport their stylish headwear!

Hats were all the rage in Greece!