Russell and Susan - what a wonderful blog! thanks for the commentary about the locks on the river. We saw that same thing on the southernmost bridge in Paris between the left bank and the rear of Notre Dame a few weeks ago. Now we know what the locks mean!

We're so glad you are enjoying the trip and bringing us along for the ride.

cheers, Anne

Looks like a beautiful day in Malta!!

Cool stalk, Karen!

Good stalk as usual, Karen!

I can't wait to see what you all think of Monemvasia! This is the first time I remember seeing it on an itinerary since we stopped there on the Song of Flower. It is probably my all time favorite port stop ever!

Karen, what did you do in Monemvasia which made it special? We want to have the same outstanding experience.

Great stalk Karen.

Malta was quite interesting. We did a "taste of Malta" tour which included a visit to a very nice winery with wine and cheese, then on to a glass shop where we had a very impressive glass blowing demonstration and then had time to look around the shop and purchase. Frank found a red elephant, so he got a "big Al" the mascot of BAMA. Also bought three very pretty vases for our daughter's and daughter in law's birthdays. Now just have to get them home in one piece.

Today is a sea day finally. Smooth sailing and very relaxing. Frank has already headed for the pool, which I don't do that much, but will probably wander up there in awhile.

Yummy dinner in Prime 7 last night, that was our reserved night, but Russ got us a walk in the 2nd night, so we've been there twice now. Tonight the Hall's and Kristin's friends are coming for cocktails and then we have special orders in Compass Rose, Russ, Susan and I are having fried chicken with mashed potatos, Frank has ordered beef wellington and Scott crab legs. Shannon decided to roll with the menu.

Tomorrow is Monemvasia, and our plans are to just wander around on our own.

Getting excited to see all the CLEOons, only 5 days till you'all are boarding.

Susan, we didn't do an excursion, we just wandered around like JoAnn is planning to do. We ended up in a rustic tavern that was built into the side of the hill which looked out over the ocean. We were the only people there and we had a glass of wine and baklava while a dog laid on Mark's feet :)
I think it is the prettiest town I have ever seen, it reminds me of Eze only much less commercial.

Karen, thanks for the comments. That's now our plan also.

Another beautiful, picturesque walled city built into a rock. After a long walk up the hill we finally got there and walked along the very narrow street, pausing now and then to let the burros pass carrying supplies to various places. Like Kare said it reminded me of Eze or St Paul de Vence. Finally found Susan sitting in a charming little cafe while Russ was off taking photos. When he came back the guys decided to hike up to the upper town, while Susan and I were content to just stay put, the owner showed us the upstairs terrace and we sat there chatting and enjoying the views waiting for the guys. When they got back we ordered a small spincach pie to share, which was yummy yummy!!! Then Frank and I left to find a place for lunch and ended up on a vien covered terrace overlooking the water and having some fried little mullet fish, which I wasn't crazy about, some wonderful fried zuchinni balls and an eggplant simmered in tomato sauch dish. Of course wine and beer were the drink of choice. We then headed back down and to the ship and now sipping some wine on our verandah playing with the IPAD that comes with PH suites and above.

Enjoyed having the Hall's and Kristin's friends in for cocktails last night, Butler did a great job with snacks. The off to CR and our special ordered dinners. Fried chicken was fantastic, Frank and Shannon loved their beef wellington and Scott said the crab legs were great.

Tonight is the gold, platinum and titanium party, a caviar sailaway party on the back deck outside of Horizon. There are only 10 gold, 2 platinum and 1 titanium couples onboard, so it sounds lots of fun.

Tomorrow Santorini and the cooking class - can't wait! Weather has been really great so far and time seems to be moving at times quickly and others slowly, just trying to enjoy and absorb every moment.

Just another day in paradise as Frank likes to say.

Ah, JoAnn, it DOES sound like another day in paradise!

John and I are almost packed, which is early for us. We head off tomorrow morning with a flight to Atlanta, then on to Athens. We're scheduled into Athens at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. After we get to our hotel and settled, we plan to take the hotel shuttle to the new Acropolis museum, something we've never seen. (It opened in 2009, I undertand.)

We'll see you -- and all CLEOs -- on Friday!!!!

Oh, and can you believe that Greece and Israel in June actually will be a cool weather trip for us???? It's already over 100 degrees here in Dallas, but it looks as if the 80-degree temps are holding at our destinations. Yea!

JoAnn, Monemvasia sounds like the kind of place we LOVE. I am really loving your seamail, it is the next best thing to being there.

Bon voyage, Priscilla & John, as well as the rest of the CLEO folks! I see that it HAS been very, very warm there in DFW. 80 degrees here you come!!! :)

We were on our flight to Athens.......now we are off our flight to Athens and back in the President's Club. Mechanical difficulties....beginning to think Athens just not a good destination for us! Hopefully will see everyone soon!

Kathy, hopefully this is the only hitch for the entire trip!

Hope so too, Karen! Still waiting........

Kathy & Al:

Do hope mechanical problem doesn't turn out to be too big of an inconvenience.

Penny is just finishing up the packing so I guess we'll be good to go in the morning.

See you at the BG or the Mariner.

Cheers! Ray & Penny

I hope all of you have a wonderful time...wish we could be with you wonderful folks.

Hi Andi:

Yep, we wish you guys were with us too.

Priscilla & John: Sounds like we're on the same flight to Athens.

Cheers! Ray

I am hoping that since we haven't heard from Kathy, that she is in the sky right now :)

Let's hope so. She sure doesn't need to revisit TUT with a different problem!

Good luck to Priscilla and John, and Ray and Penny as well, for flights on time and no glitches!

Since she mentioned she was in the Presidents Club she was on Continental, I assume from Newark - looks like that flight left finally, about four hours late, so they are probably in Athens by now.

We're leaving in a few hours for our slog through Chicago and London. We're carrying on several days of stuff just in case.

Sorry I didn't have time to post an update last night! After more mechanical problems, this time a broken video monitor, we took off at 11:00 p.m.. Flight was uneventful as was immigration and customs in Athens, but THEN we were met by a Regent Rep who told us that Constitution Square and City Center were closed due to strikes and demonstrations. We are currently sitting in the lobby of The Intercontinental waiting for the crowds to clear out and then they'll take us over to The GB. This is the second day of strikes - no guarantees for tomorrow.......more to come!

Another update.....there are four couples in this situation. City Center to remain closed and they are now moving us back to the airport for the night (Soffitel).Yes, unfortunately Olivia, this is feeling a little too familiar!

Safe travels to all of you flying today......see you soon!

I hope you all arrive without complications and Kathy sorry you are experiencing any problems - know you can't wait to step on the ship!!!

OMG Kathy, what a mess. Lets just hope you get to the ship, which is running just fine btw and get onboard without anymore issues. Ughhhhh!

Where are Peter and Mark, they were going to the GB also and I know John and Priscilla were staying in the city as well when they arrive tomorrow. Not sure what Ray and Penny were doing.

Sometimes travel can be just plain frustrating. Good luck, hope nothing further happens. Are there demonstrations going on around the IC as well?

See if you and any of the rest of you can get a message to us so we can meet and greet you when you board. Suite 1002 - Ridolphi. Maybe Regent can give us a heads up.

We're at the GB - got here about noon - cab had to drop us off about 6 blocks away - after we got cleaned up Mark decided to go for a walk just about the same time the rioters started - he's now back though - about to go up for dinner.

Peter and Mark, glad you are there safe and sound! They are promising to take us over at 9 in the morning.....keeping our fingers crossed! Ray and Penny arrive at the GB tomorrow morning. Priscilla and John are fairly far away. We're at the very swanky Sofitel Airport Hotel now......guarantee it will not be a long night! Hopefully by Friday this will all seem funny!

Thanks all for your concern and kind comments!

Beautiful Santorini! I am guessing that is the Mariner in the middle?

Athens: Expect the unexpected!

We sitting in the "quiet zone" of Delta's Sky Club in Atlanta and we'll depart at approx 4:30pm.

Delta rep saw we are flying to Athens and she asked us where donuts were first made. I said "Athens". No, wrong answer. They were first made in grease and still are. A little humor when traveling goes a long way, eh?

Kathy and Al: You're probably nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs but am hopeful all will be calm for you soon.

See ya tomorrow.

Cheers! Ray & Penny

Great stalk, as usual, Karen!

Kathy & Al, UGH! What is it with Athens lately!? I remember when we were about to leave the GB to board un-TUT, the Chinese Premier was visiting and that whole area by the Parliament was blocked off for him. I guess Peter and Mark, you had to schlepp your luggage for several blocks?

Well, hopefully that is the end of the "inconveniences" and you can enjoy the rest of the trip. Sure wish we were there with you, but since Egypt was scrapped, I know Greg would have cancelled anyway. :(

Kathy, hope the Sofitel is OK. We are staying there tomorrow night.

The GB is right in the thick of everything. Friends of ours stayed there last spring during the worst of the protesting when the hotel had to reinforce it's doors and windows and all the guests were put on the upper floors.

It is supposed to be a 24 hour strike so hopefully things will be back to normal tomorrow.

Yes we had to drag our luggage. Just finished dinner and went down to the lobby - the entrance is still closed with the roll down security shutters still down but outside it just looks like people are just milling about.

Kathy and the rest of your arriving in Athens.. hang in there! Seems to be just the way things go there.. My first cruise out of Athens and staying at the GB pre-cruise was back in 1993. There were demonstrations going on down the street on the left side of the parliament building even then! A couple of years ago departing the Silver Whisper (Rome to Athens) we stayed at the King George Palace right next door to the GB. Uneventful that trip. Hit or miss, I guess, especially when staying on Syntagma Square.

Hoping everything works out and everyone has a great trip!

Bad news/good news from here.

Our flight to Chicago was canceled but we were rebooked by the wonderful gate manager before the official announcement broke on the 2 pm flight to Dallas and 6 pm flight to London so we will arrive in London around the same time we were originally scheduled so we should be fine with our connection.

Good news - he booked us on British in first to London.

Hopefully we will see our luggage - since it never left Albuquerque I think we should be OK.

Hopefully the rest of the trip will proceed on schedule.

Hope everyone arrives in Athens and gets to their hotels OK. Our friends, Wayne and Charlotte were due to arrive there today from London, but haven't heard from them. They're staying right off Syntagma Square, so I hope they were able to get to their hotel without problems. The Port is closed today, but since this riot/strike is supposed to end by tomorrow, the ship should get in and things should be back to normal on Friday.

Easy come; easy go
Booked back into biz while we were on our flight to Dallas.

Still better now that we arrive and depart from Terminal 5.

Hope you get to ship soon Leslie anxious for all arrivals to post XXOO Tony had me all worried about Athens from the news - but he is an alarmist :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

You will all have a great time and the ship will sail without any issues. This is my edict.

leslie, your pleasing personality surely got you those initial first class seats !!! Biz leaving from the same terminal? all good....almost there! Anxious to hear from you onboard.....

All is well in Athens today and we are all checked in at the GB. Lots of signs and policemen milling around, but square has been all cleaned up. Evidently peaceful demonstrations have been going on for about a week. Yesterday was a planned strike and unfortunately protests became violent....

Leslie, the Sofitel is very nice - dinner was wonderful! Hopefully you will be arriving before to long.....can't wait to see everyone.

Love the GB. Those bathrooms!