Feb 23 2023

The 2023 Winter Season Had Other Travel Plans

Pool at After Dune Delight Condo in Hilton Head

Traveling sometime puts things upside down and this winter’s travel season 2022/23 had a divergent plan for us in mind. At least for the first part of our six months winter vacation. We did the usual visits to kids and grandkids in Michigan, friends in Tennessee and Georgia,  in the snow bunny route south to Savannah Georgia but then plans quickly changed. Han wanted to spend some time with his brothers in the Netherlands as they are all getting older and TJ for some reason had absolutely no wish to fly that long trip to Amsterdam.

So we agreed that she would stay in several AirBNB’s in the southeast to relax while Han would fly United Airlines from Savannah to Newark and from there to Amsterdam for a 7 week stay with his family in the Netherlands. I quickly cancelled my already booked flight and started making reservations for my southeast stay.

Starting sometime in March we would take a 28 day roundtrip Pacific cruise on the Crown Princess out of San Pedro/Los Angeles on the Crown Princess. What we liked about the itinerary was that the ship was mostly at sea. We needed the rest and recreation with some sun on our faces, because the job on Beaver Island is 7 days a week for the entire 6 months season.

So on January 4th Han flew out of Savannah to Newark, NJ and from there to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I would pick him up on his return on February  25. (7 very long weeks, we both agreed never to repeat). While in Europe, he spent 6 weeks with his 3 brothers, taking care of one who was in bad health. One week he took the speed train to Vienna to visit our “heart-adopted” son Nikki, who has a beautiful home about 40km southwest of Vienna in a little village called Mayerling. In the foothills of the mountain range that is part of the Dolomites and Alps, nature is extraordinarily peaceful and relaxed.

I took off for extended stays in 2 different  Hilton Head condos that were offered on the AirBNB platform, followed by a trip to South Carolina’s LOW LANDS and the city of Beaufort.

Bathroom in Condo

Had to fix my own coffee and meals. Oh the dread of it all. LOL

My days consisted of walking, relaxing, reading and exploring. Actually quite a lot, considering I was by myself. We spoke everyday with each other.
I had an ear infection for two weeks. Didn’t get out much as I was staying in this beautiful condo with pool in the center hall and many comforts and conveniences. Not very impressed by Hilton Head these days. It just feels a bit boring with very little color schemes and many restaurants offering the same fare. The only mention I have is Five Brothers, which serves a mean burger.
For the remainder of time until Han’s return from Europe, I went to stay at the Sunset Marsh Airbnb located approximately 2 miles from beautiful downtown Beaufort. 1 mile from the National Cemetery. 10 miles to Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot. Hunting Island State Park Beach is only 20 miles, and a must do visit. Just a short Walk to the Spanish Moss Bicycle and Walking Path. located across from a tidal marsh.
The porch is a wonderful spot to enjoy cocktails or coffee while taking in the beauty and serenity of the setting sun. The house decor is light and airy. Home away from home. Only 2 miles to the center of downtown Beaufort, and the water front Marina.
The military planes from nearby Parris Island Marine Corps can be loud for a short period of time in the mid-morning, but also fascinating to see them take off and land. Gated community Fripp Island offers pristine beaches, golf courses, and abundant wildlife, making it perfect for 1%’ers seeking a vacation-like, highly protected atmosphere year-round.
Sunset look over the Marsh
Entrance to the Airbnb
Living room to bedroom Two
I loved Beaufort and the outer islands so much better. Went on a golf cart tour through the city and outskirts, which was quite enjoyable.
So when Han landed at Savannah Airport, I took him back there to spend a couple of days with our gracious hosts and the southern charmed city of Beaufort.
Maryland’s Fried Chicken, one of the few ones left in the US, we ate at.
The “Outer Banks’ series on Netflix shot some of its scenes at the large black and white lighthouse in my pics.
The long road of overhanging trees has been in many films over the years.
When our time was up at Sunset Marsh, the owners invited us to stay longer without charge (we had become friends) but we had to get on the road to reach Nashville, where soon a plane was waiting to take us to Los Angeles and a southern Pacific cruise.

Apr 10 2022

Our Cruise ends in Pireaus/Athens, Greece

View of Acropolis from our Athens hotel rooftop

Today, April 10 our cruise ends in Piraeus, the port city for Athens, Greece. Hard to believe that the last 30 days were spent on a giant cruise ship with some 3,000 other passengers and we still felt like we had not had enough time on the water.  Fourteen destinations later we had arrived in the ancient city of Athens where we had booked a small boutique hotel in the Palak neighborhood, directly under the shadows of one of central Athens, most famous landmarks, the Acropolis.

Of course the end of a cruise is a big let down in our experience, as these ships arrive early in port and want you off in about a 2-3 hour early morning window, after which their crews race to clean, sweep, provision and get ready for the next load of passengers crowding out the ship a couple of hours later. We hugged our new Princess “friends” goodbye and took a taxi our hotel into the city of Athens. The Port of Piraeus is one of the largest passenger ports in Europe. The port’s three cruise terminals are all a 20 to 30-minute taxi ride from the heart of Athens, depending on traffic; cost is approximately. $20 – $25. The port is also a major departure point for ferries to the beautiful Greek islands.

Thirty minutes later we were in the city part of Palak in search of our hotel for a 3 night stay. At the quoted  rate the taxi drops us off at our little hotel in a maze of twirling and twisting streets, full with lively shops and restaurants.

Some general information about the ancient City of Athens and how to get around in a city that carries the floorpan of a maze.

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Apr 08 2022

Port of Call: Istanbul, Turkey

Built in 1973, (6 lanes) the first of 3 bridges over the Bosphorus between two continents is now called the July  15th Martyrs Bridge

Port of Call Istanbul, Turkey had been on TJ’s wishlist since we booked the cruise extension in Barcelona. I forgot to mention this city in the Rome story in the line up of European cities that warrant a week’s visit, simply because there is so much to visit, see and experience. Well Istanbul is one of those cities. Its cultural complexity equals that of Hong Kong, Singapore, Buenos Aires, New York or Rio de Janeiro. You can spend a week there and still feel you have only scratched the surface. Should you want to spend a good time discovering Istanbul, our advise is to purchase an Istanbul Tourist Pass which offers you up-to-50% discount on many attractions, as well as skip-the-line e-tickets options.

Istanbul is a former capital of several historical empires, spread over both  Asian ad European sides of the Bosphorus, which connects the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea to the North. At times known as Byzantium and Constantinople, the Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here. In the Sultanahmet district, the open-air, Roman-era Hippodrome was for centuries the site of chariot races, and Egyptian obelisks also remain. The iconic Byzantine Hagia Sophia features a soaring 6th-century dome and rare Christian mosaics. Once the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, this city of 16 million people and 10,000 mosques, tells a story with every street and skyline view.

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Apr 06 2022

Port of Call: Mykonos

Little Venice – Mykonos Old Town Harbor

Port of Call: Mykonos  had been in our dreams as a place we wanted to visit badly. Well really it was one of the reasons we had booked the cruise extension in Barcelona. We know that Mykonos is a destination island for sun vacations, so booking a a shore excursion was out of the question. We were going to stretch our legs and explore the town bi-pedal.

Greece has between 1,200 and 6,000 total islands and islets, depending on the minimum size counted, with the Hellenic Military Geographical Service citing up to 29,372. Of these, only about 166 to 227 are inhabited, scattered across the Aegean and Ionian seas. With a population of a little over 10,000 people and a surface of 33 sq.miles, Mykonos takes place 33 in the line up of Greek Islands. Can’t help but compare Mykonos to our Beaver Island numbers and realize that Mykonos is only 3/5 of Beaver Island which houses about 600 people.

There are many islands surrounding Mykonos, like the famous Santorini, the islands of Andros, Tinos, Milos, Ios, Syros, Paros and Naxos. These islands have daily connections to Mykonos, so if you combine boats you can visit even more islands and add more destinations to your greek island hopping experience. Tinos, which is less developed but larger in size, is immediately located to the north and worth a visit by ferry.

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Apr 04 2022

Port of Call: Kuşadası, Turkey

We love Kuşadası

Port of Call Kuşadası, on the southeastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey, derives its name from the small, bird-head-shaped Pigeon Island in its harbor. It literally means “Bird Island” and as a destination, it was new to both of us. A true jewel to discover and we both fell in love with the city, its people and history.

Settled as early as 3000 BC by Lelegians and Carians, it was later known as Ephesus Neopolis (Byzantine era) and Scala Nova (Genoese/Venetian period) before becoming a major Ottoman, then modern Turkish, coastal city. In ancient and earlier times the town was known as Ephesus Neopolis during the Byzantine era, and later as Scala Nova or Scala Nuova under the Genoese and Venetian merchant rulers.

Kuşadası is mostly famous for its beautiful beaches, vibrant holiday atmosphere, shopping and easy access to world-class historical Roman, Minoan and Greek sites. Its combination of natural beauty, cultural landmarks, shopping opportunities, seaside dining, and family attractions makes it one of the Aegean coast’s most versatile destinations. At the time we arrived, the Russia-Ukranian war was several weeks old and Kuşadası was feeling its effects. One jewelry shop owner told us that normally at this time of year, many Muscovites would spend their winters here, but now neither Russians nor Ukrainians were arriving and business was way down.

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