​I have to say that my only regret of our entire Mediterranean Cruise has to do with Monte Carlo. Reading about the ultra-wealthy city, it did not seem like a place with much to see or explore. As a result, we did not get off of the ship until 9am , despite anchoring at 6. In hindsight, I wish we would have disembarked earlier.  We ended up falling in love with the beauty and tranquility of this tiny treasure.

Breathtaking Beauty
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Once tendering ashore,  we oohed and aahed as we passed dozens of beautiful yachts. From the ship, they didn't look so big compared to the Ruby Princess. However, once we were standing next to them we realized how large some of them were. As we ventured through the harbor area, we spied the Palace atop the hill, our first destination. Beginning our trek up the steps built into the mountain, we were transported away to a whole different world. The views were beautiful, with greenery, the harbor and the buildings of Monaco creating a beautiful scene.

We had a reservation to enter the Accademia and view the statue of David at noon.  However, Euan thought that perhaps he could get us in a little early, so we went there next. The line was hideously long, so we were thankful once again to be in the special line for tour guides. Euan went in to get our tickets, and within 10 minutes we were inside the building. (A couple eating dinner near us this evening said that they went and there was a 4 hour wait, so they skipped it. Wow!)

My hubby and I are not art aficionados, but try to see the big, well known pieces when we travel. Therefore, we skimmed the galleries in the Accademia,  checking out a few pieces here and there as they appealed to us. I must admit that it was inspiring to see Michelangelo’s unfinished servants. They are figures that are half carved out of stone, incomplete and with excess marble remaining. They really spoke to me about the amazing process creating a sculpture is. If I tried to do it, I would start with a huge block and end up with something the size of a pea, never able to get it quite right.

I have to say that nothing prepared me for the reality of seeing the statue of David before me. When we turned the corner,  saw the huge likeness above the crowd, the light shining down from the skylight overhead, it was breathtaking. You see, in pictures and books, there is just nothing to show the perspective of how large it is. Also, when we got up close to the statue, the amount of detail was amazing. To see veins in his hands, and dimples in his elbows, there is the sense that Michelangelo brought David to life in stone. He is incredibly realistic and beautiful.

In fact, David so incredible, that everything else in the museum paled in comparison. We strolled through a few of the galleries, but could not take our minds off the beauty of David. Before we left, we lingered a little longer to just reflect on and enjoy this incredible piece of art. No trip to Florence is complete without visiting David in the Accademia.

The all clear was given to depart the ship in Mykonos at 11:50 am, and we were some of the first people off of the ship.  We hopped onto the complimentary shuttle waiting to take us the 1.2 miles into town. I had read that you could walk it, but I wouldn’t personally recommend doing so, as there is no sidewalk and the roads are narrow. Instead, our shuttle dropped us off 3 minutes later at the edge of Chora town.

​​We walked along the water to the shops lining the street, the vendors ready to sell us their goods. This included fishermen with their catches of fresh octopus. We cut back into the side alleys of the town, meandering among the white buildings with blue shutters and doors. It is a virtual maze off of the main street, a place to just roam in no particular direction and see where one comes out. We especially enjoyed the simple beauty of the various tiny churches scattered throughout the town. So different than the magnificent cathedrals and basilicas seen earlier on our voyage, but equally beautiful. ​No wonder they are a hallmark of Mykonos' beauty!

​​Today brought us to Istanbul, our first “Do it yourself” port. We disembarked the ship at 8 am and intended on catching the tram up to the Sultanahmet area. However, the crowds and congestion were unnerving so we opted to take a taxi instead. That was our first adventure of the day. Our taxi driver was very nice, but caused us to catch our breath a few times as we skirted past trucks and oncoming cars. I’m so glad he lived up to the city’s reputation of crazy driving, and even more glad that we arrived in one piece.

The wake up call at 6 am was a little tough to take this morning. However, the excitement of our journey to Ephesus eased the pain a bit. The Ruby Princess pulled in to port at 6:57 am, right on schedule, and we promptly disembarked to greet our tour guide from Hello Ephesus. We immediately took a liking to Bulent, aka Bill, as he was funny, knowledgeable, and looked remarkably like John Locke. (A character from my favorite TV show of all time, LOST.)

As we drove out to the ruins, about 25 minutes away, Bill filled us in on the history of Turkey and all that we would be seeing out in Ephesus. It was fascinating to hear his account of the many civilizations and cultures that have shaped his country over the centuries. I noticed the countryside as we drove, feeling very much at home amid the citrus trees and farmland of the region.

​​After 2 days at sea, we docked in the port of Piraeus at 8:55 this morning. We disembarked shortly thereafter and met up with our tour mates in the port arrival hall. We located our driver outside, and were a wee bit concerned as he was not too personable. However, shortly thereafter, our guide, Voula, arrived and kicked things into gear. She was a small woman, with a huge passion for her country and it’s history. The whole drive in to Athens she narrated the history of Greece in general, and Athens in particular. It was like a whole history lesson for dummies, in just 30 minutes. Amazing!

​Today we set out for our last adventure in Venice….a visit to St. Mark’s Square and Doge's Palace. We wandered the back streets for about 45 minutes, again oohing and ahhing over the window displays we passed. Then, as we turned a corner, we knew we were in St. Mark’s Square by the mass of people we encountered. Talk about a sea of humanity!

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Exquisite, Enthralling Doge's Palace

We wove through to get to our first destination, Doge’s Palace, where we checked in about 20 minutes early for our “Secret Itineraries” Tour. Tickets in hand, we entered the courtyard, and took a step back in time to Venice’s great past. We marveled at the architecture, and took the few minutes before our tour to take some lovely group shots in the majestic setting.

​I must start my post about Venice with a confession: I have never  held Italy in high regard. Why not? Well, when I was 13, I went to Europe with a marching band.  We spent 17 days on a whirlwind tour of 8 different countries. When it came to Italy, I only remembered some rude men looking me up and down, saying “Ah, American”.  Apparently that made a strong impression on me, as it overshadowed all other memories of that country. Now, today, 23 years later, I have finally changed my mind.

​After a brief nap this afternoon, we set out on foot again to see what adventures awaited. We started out on a different path than we took earlier in the day, happy to wander and absorb whatever awaited us down the road.As we walked amidst the wonderful smells and sounds of the city (no cars!!), we decided that we definitely needed to take a gondola ride.

We came across a few gondoliers, but they were in the peak traffic areas. Deciding we would like to take a voyage off the beaten path, we strolled a little further.  Soon we came across Mateo, who hollered across the canal to offer his services. We asked him if he sings, and he said no, but when he quoted a price of 80 euros we couldn’t resist his service. We were thrilled with the price, as the gentleman at our hotel thought we would have to pay at least 90. We boarded his boat, and immediately began an unforgettable experience.