This morning we were escorted to the port of Piraeus where we boarded a Louis Hellenic Cruise ship and sailed for three nights and visited the islands of Mykonos, Ephesus Turkey, Patmos and Rhodes.  Our first port, Mykonos, is a sophisticated popular island.  Apparently Jackie O loved it and we can understand why. We all wandered into town and had a delicious dinner (and wine) at Roca Taverna.  We next visited Ephesus in Turkey, one of the premier archaeological sites of the world.  We toured the Agora, the Odean, the Library of Celsus, Trajan’s Fountain, the Public Latrines (now THAT was a site to see!).  The Great Theatre built in the 4th century BC is still famous for it’s acoustics. 

And this is our photographer Thaddeus.  Another wonder of beautiful Greece!  He’s VERY talented!

Rugs galore at Kusadasi Turkey!  After a tour of the rug factory where wool, cotton and silk rugs are woven, we were treated with great hospitality (and alcohol) and invited to see the carpets with a view (no pressure….ya, right!) to purchase.  It was really fun and a few of us (I won’t say whom… it was Linda, Linda, Maria and Suzan) bought beautiful pieces. 

Next we visited the island of Patmos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We visited ‘the Grotto’ of the Apocalypse and the silent windmills in Chora.

Next on to Rhodes.  Walking along the paved streets of the Medieval City, we came across residences of people of several different historic nationalities who once belonged to the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem.  We toured the Palace of the Grand Master, the area of Bourgos and the Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent erected in 1808, the Turkish Baths, the Hospital of the Knights in Museum Square the Church of Our Lady of the Castle which has guarded the place since the 11th century AD. The Place of the Grand Master is a magnificent site in the Old Town.  And, of course, the mandatory shopping for jewelry.  Tonight we sail to Crete.