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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Oct 12, 2016 06:00 PM Go to Santorini!
I have been to many Greek islands but now I know that Santorini is most beautiful and has most unusual landscape. It is former volcano! If you are arriving by sea you sail into the volcanic caldera. I did it and I recommend this mode of arrival - the view is just stunning! White settlements on the sheer inside cliff. Deep blue water... Cruise ships drifting around (the caldera is too deep to anchor).
To stay 3 nights in this unusual place I booked an inexpensive room in Villa Dimitris in Perissa. Perissa is far from the capital of the island - Fira, but if you stay more then one night they provide free pick-up.
Single room with bath, fridge, coffee maker and a/c costs me 20 eu per night.
Villa Dimitris has great location at the bottom of the high mountain, some 100 m from the beach. Place is very quite and there is public bus going to Fira... It costs hefty 2.40, but let you know that Santorini ix expensive place - I advice you to bring with you as much as you can carry :)
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Oct 11, 2016 06:00 PM Paros, Naxos, Ios...
At 7 am I boarded ferry boat Blue Star Delos departing to few islands in the Cyclades group. My destination is Santorini but such a slow ferry - departing once per week gives rare opportunity to enjoy the sea and the island landscapes. Those fast jets they do not have open decks and you see little through dirty windows. In internet I paid 32 euro for economy class Piraeus to Santorini.
So first we saw on the horizon Paros island. Hilly, little-green, the color of coffe with milk dominates... Little town on Paros is right at the jetty. Sailors are very smart - within 15 minutes they unpacked and packed passengers and few cars. But yes, 15 min is enough to take nice pics from the deck...
Next island - Naxos has more dramatic landscape, is much bigger and in the main settlement has churches and remains of the fort.
Third island - Ios looks like abandoned, but it has long and narrow bay where white settlement is hidden. Probably nicest location of all 3 islands. After an hour of sailing I saw the legendary Santorini. Wow! More tomorrow - I am so hungry!
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Oct 10, 2016 06:00 PM Cape Sounion
It was raining in the morning when it was the time to say goodbye to our ship. You paid, you go! You have to be out of your cabin before 8.30 and out of the ship before 9.30! Not very pleasant...
The well kept secret is a city bus X80 going from cruise terminal to Syntagma Square in the center of Athens. On the ship they will not tell you about this inexpensive option to leave the terminal, they prefere to offer you the coach for 20 dollars...
I have to spend the night in Piraeus before morning sailing. Adonis Hotel, 70 Filonos St is the good option for budget traveller. 20 eu per clean room with sink.
At 1 pm the rain dissappeared and Decided to go by public bus to Cape Sounion. No, no lighthouse there. But in the ancient times they biilt there on the cliff a temple of Poseidon. Already as a boy I was dreaming about this place watching black and white pictures in my textbook...
Bus cost 7 eu each way and departs every hour from Egypt Sq near Viktoria subway station. After almost 2 hours of driving (great coastal views on the way) I finally saw my dream. It has very nice location. After season only few tourists there. Blue sea around... The dream came true....
They charged me 4 eu entry (with a senior's discount)
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Oct 09, 2016 06:00 PM Athens after 42 years...
In the morning we docked in the port of Piraeus. Very busy place - many ferrier goes from here to the Greek Islands. Arrival was very badly organized - no free shuttle bus to the port gate, no maps, no reliable information... Greece... I was walking all over the way to the electric train station in Piraeus. The it is easier: ticket to Athens cost 1,40 eu and you can change to the bus.
I started my walk from Syntagma Square where in front of the Parliament buildings there are guards in funny uniforms performing every half an hour for the tourists. Then it was already close to thd temple of Zeus, Hadrian Arch ruin and Traditional quarter of Plaka. Plaka lies at the bottom of Acropolis. If you want to go to the top they charge hefty 20 euro... Roman Agora, churches, music... It was nice to be here again, Athens did not change much...
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Oct 08, 2016 06:00 PM Lazy Sunday at sea...
In our original schedule we should be today in Izmir - Turkey. But the owners of the ship decided that it is too dangerous at the moment and we are drifting whole day at blue sea. They returned 34 USD per person. Thank you! It is a time for sunbath and for the walks around the ship (it is so big that I still do not know all lounges, bars and cafes :) Unlimited ice cream for everybody. They eat, eat, eat... In the evening interesting show with many special effects. Time to enjoy the music - I like most three charming young ladies from Bulgaria - violin trio... They were so surprised that I know so many places in their country - usually the passengers even do not know where is Bulgaria on the map... They played especially for me one of my favourites - Lara's theme from "Dr Zhivago"
-Somewhere my love...
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Oct 07, 2016 06:00 PM Rhodes the beautiful...
It is one of the most fascinating islands in the Mediterranean. By its nature, history and monuments. In the old port they have space for two olny cruise ships. We docked in the morning just opposite the old city walls with the beautiful view of the old town. At 9am I was already ashore, I grab a good map from the tourist office in the port gate and walked along the walls to the long distance bus stop. Bus to Lindos - 5,50 eu each way departed at 9.30. On the way (1,5 h) there were nice views of the coastal lonely peaks and nice beaches in the bays. My target - Lindos Acropolis also looks like a single table mountain on the coast. Go bit further then a bus stop for a greter view! At the bottom of the Acropolis there is lovely, white village of Lindos - Greek beauty with flowers on the white walls... Then you have to walk 160 m up to the top of the hill. The vie from the fortress is great. Some colums fron Athena temple survived and the walls too. It is worth to know that retired people from EU have 50% discount on regular 12 Eu entry fee...
Back in Rodos city I took the walk throuch the old town enjoying mosques, churches, city gates an the Palace of Grand Masters... Great place to be and great, hot day!
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Oct 06, 2016 06:00 PM Eastern Crete from Heraklion...
We are on the Greek Islands! At the sunrise I saw for the first time the little fortress at the entrance of the port of Heraklion. Once in the city I was running to the bus starion near the port to take a bus to the picturesque town of Agios Nikolaos. The ticket cost me 7,70 eu each way. Exciursion offered by ship cost 120 USD! Lovely lake and fishing port there! Then again by public bus to Elunda - with great views from the coastal road.. Boats to Spinalonga island with little fortress and remains of lepper colony costs 10 erro for round trip...
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Oct 05, 2016 06:00 PM We are saling...
Days are very busy when in the port, but today we are sailing south to the Greek islands and we have full day at sea. Time for laundry, fo sunbath and - in the evening fantastis show "Amor cubano"
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Oct 04, 2016 06:00 PM Napoli - Sorrento -Amalfi
Yesterday in the evening I celebrated with my Australian friends the anniversary: 40 years ago I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, on 4th October I reached The higher summit -Mt Kibo.
At the sunrise today I took a great picture of Vesuvio. Then after a long walk through Na ples I took the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento. It costs only 2,60 euro each way. I have been to Sorrento and Capri before but I do not know this wonderful road from Sorrento to Amalfi. The road goes on the cliff above the see.I did it! It is really one of the most beautiful roaads in the world...
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Oct 03, 2016 06:00 PM In Rome again -just for 10 euro...
Our ship docked in Civitavecchia in the early morning and departure will be at 8 pm. Well, I have been to Rome several times but why not to refresh memories? Free shuttle bus took us from the far-away jetty to the town CV. Then I was walking to the station. The cheapest RTticket to Rome costs 10 euro. If you wantvto add free buses and metro it will be BIRG ticket for 12 Eu... Train to Roma Termini station takes about an hour. I got a new map at the tourist office and start my walk - firts to Spanish Steps, then Di Trevi fountain, Plazza Venezia, Colloseo, bridgeson the river and Vaticano. Weather was lovely, but amoutvof smog in the streets is on increase. When I arrived to San Pietro station to take the train back to CV they announced troubles.... We were waiting more then 1 hour for the next train. Be aware!
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