I have to tell you that swimming pool etiquette is different than I am used to onboard the Costa Serena. I have traveled all over and know that sensibilities are more relaxed in Europe, but it is still a surprise to the system when you are faced with public nudity. I was minding my own business, sitting at a back table in the shade, near the smaller of the three pools on the 9th deck. A mother, in her 40's, was there (along with about 400 other people) with her family - husband and son (about 14-ish maybe) an they were enjoying the sun and water. I have enjoyed the people watching on this trip and they caught my eye as they were actually interacting with each other in a friendly familial way. It seems that most families on the ship are multi-generational tribes, all in a great hurry to get past you, each member seeming to be in charge of each of the other members of their own group, and all are yelling at each other from different points across very crowded rooms. (Have you gotten the idea that this ship is full? I have never seen so many people in my life! We are packed to the gills - the sun worshipers are literally cheek to jowl on at least 5 outside sundecks!) But I digress. The afrementioned mom gets out of the pool, towels off and begins to then remove her wet two piece suit. She not only begins to remove it, she succeeds in removing it, right there, in front of God and everyone, and then calmly digs around in her carry-on for a dry suit. She leant a whole to meaning to "air drying". All parts, seen and unseen, were being air-dried. She finally found what she was looking for, put on her dry suit, oiled up with sun-block and began her tanning. Amazing!
Our tour of Olympia included lots of columns. I refreshed my memory of Doric (plain and square), Ionic (rounded at the sides like ram's horns) and Corinthian (leafy and ornate designs). We saw all of them. The overwhelming sense I've had yesterday and today is that I cannot imagine how it must be to be here in the summer, with all the tourists. It could just not be any more crowded than it is now. Lines to get off the boat, lines to board the tenders, lines of buses, lines to get on the buses, lines to get in the Olympic site, lines to listen to the tour guide, lines to the potties, lines to pay for the necessary tourist trap postcards, lines to reboard the buses, lines to board the tenders to the ship, lines to have your Costa card swiped, lines to have all your personal possessions x-rayed, lines for both the stairs and elevators to get to your cabin. Whew!
Our tour of Olympia included lots of columns. I refreshed my memory of Doric (plain and square), Ionic (rounded at the sides like ram's horns) and Corinthian (leafy and ornate designs). We saw all of them. The overwhelming sense I've had yesterday and today is that I cannot imagine how it must be to be here in the summer, with all the tourists. It could just not be any more crowded than it is now. Lines to get off the boat, lines to board the tenders, lines of buses, lines to get on the buses, lines to get in the Olympic site, lines to listen to the tour guide, lines to the potties, lines to pay for the necessary tourist trap postcards, lines to reboard the buses, lines to board the tenders to the ship, lines to have your Costa card swiped, lines to have all your personal possessions x-rayed, lines for both the stairs and elevators to get to your cabin. Whew!
The pizza on board is fabulous - the best I have ever eaten anywhere - and it's available, right out of the brick oven, constantly, every day, from 10am until midnight. Sadly, the pizza is only one floor above us (way to convenient!). The chocolate souffle with vanilla sauce for desert last night was to die for, too.
Today was Ephesus. Much larger than I expected. A stunning city layout and amazing to comprehend that I walked on the same marble roadway, touched the same columns, climbed the same uneven amphitheater steps, saw the same statuary and walked under the same arches as people did 2000 years ago. The sublime feelings that brought about were quickly wiped away by the frenzy of activity at the next stop on our tour today -- the "state run, non-tourist, good deal today only, cooperative" oriental rug emporium where "we hand make everything following all the original patterns." I successfully fought the urge to buy a rug. Cindy and Brenda were not so successful and will find their pruchases delivered to their doorsteps in the US in 6-8 weeks.
Tomorrow is Istanbul, but for now, I'm going to go find a quiet place (there has to be one somewhere on this ship) to sip a champagne and contemplate the fact that I am lucky enough to be able to do all this in the first place. Life is indeed good!
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