Turkey in the rear view mirror

I have been home now for a week and the dust has started to settle on my memories of my Turkey and Greece Trip.  Standing veiled on the luxurious red carpet of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia were a personal highlight.  Just to take in the sacred space and marvel at the beauty was beyond words for me.  The people me met in Turkey were incredibly genuine with their generosity and humour.

Greece - country in flux.

Best of Greece, the worst of Greece.  Incredible how this country has changed since I last was here with Jim for four weeks back in the late fall of 96.  Crippling austerity measures have taken their toll - 25% unemployment, 50% for people 18 -25 years.  Graffiti, abandoned shops everywhere in Athens.  The mood unsettled with a run on the banks as the IMF repayment deadline days away.

We packed as much into our 10 day tour as possible.  Braved the heat and sun in Mycenea and rain in Delphi.  It was go go go non-stop sleeping in a different bed every night and doing hand laundry on the way.  By the end of the tour we were expert packers and had our check in and check out routine down to a fine art.

We finished our tour of Greece on a high note with 4 nights in Santorini.  Prestine as ever we stayed on the cliff side and had the incredible good fortune to be upgraded to a honeymoon suite hotel.  I was elected to sleep in the round honeymoon bed all decked out with bead curtains.