Ups and Downs of Shaving the Beard

In no particular order or grouping - 

When the weather got cold and I walked out the door, I really felt the change.

Everyone says I look younger.

Shaving. Starting the day by scraping steel across your face.

Aftershave - nice smell, nice feeling. 

Laundry - now that the beard does not intercept the occasional bit of soup or wayward sauce, I have to pay more attention to stain remover when I wash my shirts. 

I keep stroking something that isn't there. 

Sooooo many people don't know who I am any more.  (I know - maybe they're just pretending.) 

I get to eat things like cotton candy that I used to avoid. Caramel apples. Chew bubble gum. (You do NOT want to chew bubble gum with a beard.) 

No one gets up to give me a seat on the bus anymore.

Little children don't wave at me or tell me what they want for Christmas. Or just look at me with slightly wondering eyes.

On the upper east side, no one says "hello" in Hebrew any more. 

More added as I think of them.....

OCTOBER 22 - THE LAST DAY

Friday, October 22 – When I woke (that damn alarm again) I turned on the tv and the bow camera told me that we were in port. A quick dress, and off for breakfast, back to the room, and up to the lounge to wait for the others to meander. We let the organized groups go first – by the time we get there, the Customs people have gone for their morning coffee, so we retrieved our bags easily (all the other bags had already been taken) and we strolled out without anyone even looking at us, our luggage or our passports. The bus was waiting, but I put my foot down and insisted we get a group picture in which everyone’s face can be seen. And we did, in a location with our ship, Cristal, in the background.

The bus ride to the airport took us along the coast – Yanni had called and found the traffic was heavy on the highway, so we took the coastal road with a better view and about the same travel time. I had presented him with a Xavier Society bag earlier, and on the bus we gave him our envelope. We made a bathroom stop at the airport, check in was easy (except for two of our group who got randomly picked for a full baggage search) and I even found a free wifi service. For the record – you did not have to take off your shoes. While we were waiting to board, I saw a man I thought looked familiar – then I wondered – finally I went up and it was a guy who plays sax at the Jazz at Noon group (which this season moves to the Players Club instead of the National Arts Club).

 I wasn't the only one who didn't get enough sleep last night.

Airplane travel is airplane travel – many of the same films and tv shows on the entertainment system – I remembered how bad the beef had been on the way over so I had chicken. Better. Someone in First Class bought out the chocolate covered blueberries before they got to me, so I saved money – but now what am I going to get for so and so? (Just kidding.) It was the retirement flight for one of the flight attendants after 41 years of service. She was a First Class attendant, so we really didn’t even see her, but they made the announcement several times, and large pictures of her at the beginning of her career and now were posted in the cabin in several places. As we were settling in, before we took off, the pilot announced that the doors were closed, and if anyone wanted to change their seats they could – so the woman next to me, in the middle, went searching and found an aisle seat, so the seat next to me is empty. Thank you, Jesus! And I got my computer into the overhead, so the space under the seat in front of me is also blessedly empty.

I’m finishing this bit on the plane – when we land, I will get my bag from Customs and see about a flight to Buffalo. I have a reservation on a 9PM but if we get there in time and no problems, I might try for a 6:20 that exists. (Turned out it didn't exist, and I waited in the airport for the 10 something plane, that ended up being about 40 minutes late. Sigh. Welcome home.)

Reflection: A trip like this needs some reflection time, and I’m not sure I am entirely ready for that. On the other hand, looking at my schedule for the next several weeks, this may be the best chance I have, at least in the immediate future.

It was a varied group, and the dynamics were a little strange at the beginning – one woman from Minnesota didn’t know anybody, was traveling alone and is blind. Another who came along is also blind; I knew her, but I was the only one. She had a roommate she didn’t know. Two other blind people had companions with them. Our Xavier group was 13 and then we had 7 others we didn’t know either. One person knew only me and her sister whom she had brought with her. One person spent more time working and looking for internet cafes and connections than taking part in the pilgrimage, one person was working through some personal problems, another got sick toward the end with an intestinal infection of some kind, another had knee problems, and another could only walk for very short distances, and in fact carried a seat cane so she could sit when she needed. So there were distractions and problems - mostly minor but it was not a trip of unbroken joy.

But each person on the pilgrimage is basically a good person, and we started taking care of one another almost from the first moment. We were interested in one another and when we got on the boat and into the private dining room, we started learning more about one another. Different people took different tours, and went exploring in different groups, so there was usually a story to share, an experience to relate. There was extraordinary generosity in helping the blind folks who were traveling alone – they are both very independent, but in strange situations, like exploring the Grand Bazaar or climbing a mountain, some help is needed. Some people learned how to help a blind person – many people don’t know that and haven’t had any experience of what blind people need and want. And don’t want.

I’ve been doing these pilgrimages for only two years but so far, we have been positively blessed with guides. Last year Moshe – this year Iannis. Thank you whatever guardian angel or St. Francis Xavier is guiding these people to us. It does make a world of difference when the guide is more than competent, likes the group and helps make the exploring fun and rewarding. We know from the Xavier Society that there are some who are clients, who use our services. There are also those who become friends, whose lives we get to know in a small way. I hope that for our guides we have moved from being just clients to something more.

 Our new best friend, who guided us in and around so many places.

Daily Mass is an important anchor, at least for me. It helps keep me in a pilgrimage mode, rather than a tour or a trip or a “vacation.” Not every stop or every location had something to do with St. Paul, but they were part of the world in which he lived and preached, to one degree or another. And as we discovered last year, having to “re-see” the views and panoramas and sights in order to describe them to our companions was an illuminating and an important part of the trip. (As I write this we are leaving Europe behind and heading out into the ocean – Lord, your seas are so large and this plane is so small….)

I found strange things moving – Mars Hill, where Paul preached, is a large rock. Yet that touched me more than some of the architectural and archaeological marvels we saw. I found myself at home in the Grand Bazaar, probably from my time in Nigeria, but the group of 4,000 shops, the people pressed together, shop keepers trying to sell you something as you passed by, the bargaining – I felt very much at home.

And yet I don’t like crowds (unless, as I noted earlier, they’re audience.) I don’t like tourists and I am already planning next year’s trip to the Holy Land in the same time period we went last year, precisely to avoid crowds. Go figure.

Watching BBC Europe reminds me that for most of the world the U.S. is NOT the center of the world and much of what goes isn’t even interesting in other countries. The lead story while we have been away has been pretty much the riots in France, to a lesser degree the budget cuts in Britain, and the continuing protests in Greece.

In the final analysis, there are probably more negative comments for the agent here in the U.S. than there were for last year's pilgrimage. But it was a wonderful time, and we met some truly extraordinary people. Everyone had the freedom to create their own trip, and I think that most did. That their pilgrimage didn't always look a lot like mine is a tribute to how good the trip was, I think. 

There will be more pictures, at some point, and perhaps even more reflections. Or stories I have forgotten. When I left the airport I went up to Buffalo for the NY State Convention of the National Federation of the Blind, where I gave a speech and said Mass on Sunday morning. 

Next year - back to Jerusalem!!! With a couple of days in Jordan. Stay tuned for further announcements. 

OCTOBER 21

Thursday, October 21 – Being awakened by the alarm in a situation like this is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you know you’ve had a better than average sleep. On the other hand, if it weren’t for that damn alarm, you’d still BE asleep! Ah well, no rest for the wicked. Or the tourist. Not necessarily in that order.

Today is the last full day of the trip – well, tomorrow is a full day but spent pretty much at the airport and in an airplane. Just the thought of airplane food makes me rise more quickly and head to the buffet. We’re going to Crete in the morning, and Santorini in the afternoon/evening, which means an early start for those going to the Knossos palace and a gentle but shorter morning for those of us not. I am not. I went on one tour, and that was really more than the budget could afford. So I ate and waited for the hordes to leave and then I wandered into the harbor. 

Crete (geography moment here) is the island, and the harbor is dedicated to St. Nicholas. Every port has a chapel to St. Nicholas, but here the whole harbor is dedicated to him, and there is a gorgeous Orthodox Church in his honor. (I have pictures of the outside – others took pictures of the inside.) 

I wandered through town, found the lake and climbed the hill alongside. At one point I was wandering down a street and outside a bar there was a pair of women’s shoes. I looked around for the woman but didn’t see anyone barefoot. I took a picture but I left them there, in case the owner returned or someone came by who needed a pair of shoes. 

Bought a few minor souvenir things as gifts for people (Note on travel – buying of stuff for people who are at home. Or not with us. I know that whole economies are built on this notion, but it becomes an obligation worse than Christmas. People dashing around desperately to find “something” for a niece or a nephew or a whatever. There are, it seems to me, two kinds of people – those you want to buy something for (a small and select group) and those you need to buy something for (a class virtually without end). I find myself buying things with no one in mind, so I will have something to give someone I have completely forgotten about but feel I should have bought something for. You’d think a vow of poverty would free me from some of this. Wouldn’t you.)

Crete was small enough that people kept running into one another, and there was no pressure about getting back to the ship because it was right there at the dock and a gentle stroll away. Nice morning. I even found a wifi connection on a public square that did not involve the buying of a glass (or boot) of beer. We sailed and at 11:30 had a meeting with Eliza bethm the Cruise Director, about disembarking procedures for the next morning (we have to have our packed bags outside our rooms in the hall by midnight!) and then a final tribute to the crew, which included them singing “We Are the World.” A short meeting with Yanni, and then folks dispersed for lunch and Mass at 1 PM.

                                                         That's our ship - Home Sweet Home

Small gathering but nice. We finished briskly, for one member to go for a massage and me to go to a meeting about the Talent Show.

The Talent Show. Yes, there is a Talent Show. There had been a call for interested people last Tuesday, and I had not gone. All sorts of people had talked about it, but not many showed up. People had been hearing me sing in the lounge during the week, and Elizabeth was really pushing me to come and sing. We talked and since it did not seem there would be too many, I said I would sing 4 songs – If I Were A Rich Man,  Bring Him Home (from Les Miz), Largo al Factotum (from Barber of Seville) and a jazzy version of “Slow Boat to China.” I went to the meeting, we set levels -  I normally don’t like to use a mike but it is a strange space acoustically, and the ears have gotten to used to the amplification, I’d work too hard without getting the result. So mike it is. I ran through the four songs, and the musicians in the band sat and listened and people came in and listened and the bar waiters sat – a good sign.

I then went and took a little nap. I was awakened by the call to see the arrival at Santorini, a village built on top of a mountain, which is really part of an ancient volcano. There are three ways to go up – walk, ride a donkey (E5) or ride the cable car (E4). I was tempted by the donkey but I had 8 euro 50 cents and I didn’t want to break a 20 Euro note for 50 cents. I also did not want to talk down the hill, and I had been warned that while riding the donkey up might be hazardous, riding one down was outright dangerous, bordering on crazy.

                                                                    Loading the tender boat

                                                 A tired dog can sleep pretty much anywhere.

Lovely – small streets, whitewashed buildings, and a view at every corner. I visited the Catholic Cathedral, and had a long chat with a guy who runs a shop who is a Rotarian. I was wearing a Rotary shirt and we got talking. The Rotary Club was meeting that night, but we were sailing and I was singing, so that didn’t happen. I didn’t want to buy anything – and I didn’t want to drink or eat anything – so in a very short while, I had sort of “done” Santorini. I took a cable car down, waited and gone on the first tender back. Had a quick and light dinner, and took a shower, packed most of my clothes and stuff, dressed, collected my passport, and it was show time.

                                                          Yup, they've got donkeys here too.

At rehearsal there had been only three of us who were going to perform: a man who plays the harmonica from Austria (just outside Vienna) and a woman who was going to sing “Girl from Ipanema”in Spanish, and yours truly. The other singer was to start things off, and she never showed up. So we had the harmonica player, and me. How do I put this humbly? I blew them away. I worked hard but it is less work with a mike. The audience was very responsive, the mix of songs was good and I left them wanting more.

When I finished, the professional entertainers – of whom my earlier critique not only stands but was enforced pretty much each time I heard them – then followed with a Broadway revue – Cats, Phantom, Chicago – so I watched for a very small time, had a couple of drinks, and then it was time to finish the packing, stick the bag outside the door and head for the bed. Because tomorrow starts even earlier.

OCTOBER 20

Wednesday, October 20 – Rhodes. This is the only tour I signed up (outside of what wa s included in our original package) and so I was up early for breakfast and a 7AM departure from the ship. And as we left it was raining. Annamarie was our guide, a number from our group but several from other groups as well. We headed first for Lindos, an ancient temple around which was built a castle. Advertised as 300 steps climb. One of our group who is blind was determined she was going to climb those steps. I volunteered to go with her. As we worked our way to the beginning of the climb (we were moving more slowly and the group disappeared ahead of us.)  we ran into people who were coming down who had abandoned the climb because it was slippery. But we pushed on ahead anyway, and when we reached the halfway spot, we caught up with the group.

                                        Here is where we came from - we're at the halfway point

                               And here is where we are going - the actual top is higher than the top turrets here

On the way up, we had steps and we had slanting ramps and we had fairly open areas that were more rocks than steps. There were a couple of people selling table cloths and place mats and other woven areas. The halfway point is where donkeys come up and go down, for those who would rather ride than walk. We then took a long staircase up to the next level and through a rocky path and on to more stairs and rocky areas. Finally, we reached the top. View of the harbor of St. Paul, lovely view of the sea and the countryside all around. Lovely wind blowing – lots of places for a view.

                    Here is the original temple on top of the mountain, around which they built a fortress

                                                          St. Paul's Harbor, as seen from the top

The person I was with and I made it back down to the halfway spot, and we both decided to take a mule down. Yes, there are pictures. Now I only have pictures of the person I was with and the mule – other people have pictures of me and my mule, and at some point I am hoping that I will be reunited with those pictures and I will share appropriately.

                          Getting ready for the ride down the mountain - but only from the midway point. 

                                                      You still have to walk the first half!

                                                                     It's a STEEP ride down!

We got the bus back to the loading area and the bus on to the next stage – except that when we gathered by the appointed time, three of our members were not present. They did turn up about 15 minutes later – we did not leave without them – and off we went to visit the old city Medieval town) of Rhodes.)

As we approached the old city, the rain started. And I don’t mean a sprinkle, a gentle pitter pat, this was a flood. A veritable flood. A can’t see the other side of the street flood. The group pretty well decided that they did not want to get out of the bus into the flood. We moved to another gate, and three of us actually did get out with Annamarie and we went into the old city to see the hospital – and as we got there the rain stopped. 

                                                      The hospital of the Knights of St. John

The other two were a honeymoon couple and they did not go back to the bus, but wandered off by themselves. I went back to the bus, had lunch (Taco while anchored to a Greek isle) (and the rain got magnificently heavy) and then as the weather cleared into a beautiful day, back into the city. Wandered about – visited some of the areas, and then settled into a small café for a beer and some of the internet. Well, I asked for a Mythos, a Greek beer – the guy asked if I wanted a large or a regular – I said a regular – and I got a beer in a large glass boot that held about 2 litres of beer. Yikes. That held me for the whole time I was working on the internet. The square in front of me had a couple of poles on which lived eight or nine gorgeous and very noisy parrots. On the way back to the ship I did a little shopping, and got ready for the evening Mass.

We had Mass in a new location, a larger space, in case others wanted to join us. Of course, as these things work out, we did not have any new people and a number of our group didn’t come – a couple were feeling sick and some had other ailments. Or maybe better offers. We have only been together as a group with everyone presents only a very few times. I keep saying people are free to do what they want, and they believe me. Ultimately this is a good thing, but everyone in this group is really interesting, and while I may be the only one who thinks it, I miss the dimensions the missing folk could give. The Mass was very nice – and we finished in time a drink before dinner, and ou regular evening gathering in our private dining room. It’s the last time we will gather here, because tomorrow there is open seating. We go to Crete in the morning and Santorini in the afternoon (really evening) and to give people enough time on shore (especially since accessing the shore in Santorini is by tenders – ie, boats shuttling back and forth) everything is moved back and made more flexible. The ship’s photographer came by to take pictures of everyone at the table, and dessert was Baked Alaska, presented with lights off so the flaming desserts could be more clearly seen and waiters flailing towels, music playing over the sound system (A Latin American something, which provided a lively beat but puzzled some who wondered what it had to do with Alaska) and a sense of high drama. Fun.

I left right after dessert while others were still chatting, because I wanted to see the ship’s magician, who was doing an up close evening, cards and coin tricks, that sort of thing. Good showman, lots of humor – he’s dealing with a multi-lingual audience, so the usual line of chatter has to be kept to a minimum. He’s good, although I did know how he did all of his tricks. He even did a little pick pocketing and watch switching. Low keyed and fun. I got a seat in the front row – me and four young boys – and it was a nice gentle evening with no amplification.  

This was the first night I slept until the alarm woke me – perhaps climbing up the 300 steps had something to do with it?

OCTOBER 19

Tuesday, October 19 – A rough night, weather wise. Fun for me, but lots of rolling and bouncing. Departure is supposed to be at 7 so breakfast is at 6 so I got up at 5. Lovely shower but I wonder how the rough weather will influence the schedule – we are supposed to disembark onto tenders (small boats) for the trip to shore to Patmos. Up for breakfast and a seriously rolling deck. At one point I was at the stern, and the flag was blowing forward - in other words, the winds was stronger than our forward motion. (I even took a picture.)

Back to prepare for the day and we all met at the Metropolitan Lounge. Winds at 40 mph, no tenders – the captain tried to enter the port to see if he could dock, but the winds and currents were simply too strong, so Patmos is cancelled, and as I write this, in dark skies and strong seas, we are on our way to Kasadi – Ephesus – although the schedule is a little loose, to the distress of some people who want to dictate what the schedule should be. Sigh. And sigh again. Somehow they can’t seem to grasp the notion that other people have schedules and commitments have been made and not everything can be changed at the last minute because we have changed our plans, or to make it the way THEY would like it to be. Sigh. So we have a quiet morning on the ship, which is not exactly a hardship.

The dark skies, lots of places to sit and watch the world go by – although, as always, finding a quiet place was a little more challenging. Bingo in this place, a cocktail making demo in another – not just background music, but loud and active “things to do.” But soon enough it was time to grab a lunch bite, and off we head.

Our group was to gather at 12:30 and leave, so we would be ahead of the other groups, who were leaving at one. Sigh. I love our group, but this one wasn’t there, that one had to go back to the cabin for something – it was 12:55  by the time we all gathered and headed out. And out was not to a bus, but off the pier and down the road – our group does not move fast, so it was a bit before we were actually on the bus.

The port and the city is Kushadaseh – that’s not how they spell it, but that’s how they say it. Our guide – whose name I have forgotten – had an accent difficult to understand sometimes. He spoke of the history of the city and often referred to the fact that we were going to “the house of Mother Mary.” And then the bus started to climb. And climb. And climb.

Small roads, no real guardrails, winding steep climbs – beautiful views, but the accident potential does get your attention. We did get to the house of Mother Mary without any incident, and we strolled past the gift shops into the areas of the house itself. On the way is a large cistern, fed from pipes from at least ten different sources. If I understood the guide, this was because of concern over poison – although the next influence would, it seems to me, be at best moderated. Maybe I didn’t understand him properly. There was a large outdoor altar but to my relief, I learned we would be celebrating Mass in an interior chapel.

The house itself was only discovered and excavated in the early 1940’s (1943?). It’s a 2-room house, and is a small chapel (what was the main living room and kitchen) and a side room (what was a bedroom). Pope John Paul II visited twice. We went through with carrying degrees of personal piety. Met a chap from Alabama outside I had talked with on the ship, and introduced him to one of our merry band who is living in Alabama. After everyone assembled, we went on to Mass behind some gates and along a walkway – gorgeous view of the valley. The sacristan is a Franciscan, who had spent two months in Chicago, and his English was quite good, so we had a chat. Everything was set up for Mass – liturgically a little confusing because, following the custom, I celebrated the Mass of August 15, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but I preached on the Jesuit feast, the North American Martyrs. Nice Mass. On back into the compound for some shopping and visiting rest rooms (always an important sotp on any pilgrimage!). They have three fountains for water - one for health, one for beauty and I think the other was for romance. They also have a large wall, along the lines of the wailing wall, where young women place slips of paper asking for or about their husbands to be. 

Some of the slips asking for husbands. 

From here, we went down the valley to the ancient city of Ephesus.

In my old age I am learning not try and disguise my lack of knowledge on any subject, because I get found out too easily. This is one of those cases. I knew about the place we had visited, but the whole excavation was a new item on my personal agenda and it is breath-taking. In so many places, archaeological sites are roped off and sealed up and you can look at things from afar, and this is understandable. But here, a huge site (only about 20% of the city is excavated but that is huge) there are streets you walk down and columns you can touch, and you can really get the sense of being in the ancient city. It is a new excavation – somewhere I have written down when it was started but it’s not 30 years and I somehow think it may be actually less. Since I had no sense of what was involved when we started, I was constantly being surprised at getting to an intersection and finding a street that literally went as far as my eye could see. In the days when Ephesus was a major city, the sea came right to the edge of the city. (Today is about 7 km away – a little over 4 miles.) They have a huge amphitheatre, a place where they uncovered the tombs of gladiators – fascinating, fascinating, fascinating.

Included is of course the library of Ephesus, originally built (and used) as a mausoleum. We did a little shopping on the way out – I bought a Rolex for 20 euro. Of course it’s a fake, it was advertised as a fake, but except that the band is a little cheap, it really looks like a Rolex. With my luck, I’ll run into a robber who will kill me for my Rolex. But I just couldn’t resist.

From there we were kidnapped again – seems if you hire a Turkish guide, he has a relationship with some business somewhere and by God you are going to visit them. We were taken to a leather company. Now, fair enough, leather is a major Turkish export, mostly lamb leather, and they do beautiful work. We had a fashion show, and were given ouzo – of course, I don’t like ouzi, so this didi not quell the angry little creature in my breast. The fashion show was nice – and then we went into the salesroom, where one of the gentlemen did a nice job of explaining the different kinds of leather (did you know there is a “silk” leather? Me either.) And then, of course, the sales pitch.

They gave us a 30% discount, no sales tax or duty (Turkey is not in the EU) and you could bargain a little after that. Five of the group bought something – four bought coats and one bought a belt. (An 85 Euro belt. My PANTS don’t cost 85 euro.) So obviously any unhappiness about being kidnapped had been assuaged.

We got back to the boat just in time for dinner in our private little alcove. Which is always fun but runs a full two hours of conversation and eating and not terribly fast service. It was Greek night, so the menu was heavily loaded with Greek food, and there is a Greek show in the evening –which I skipped. I sang again, only a couple of songs but the word is getting around the ship about the guy who sings. And a relatively early bed.

MONDAY - OCTOBER 18

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 – Feast of St. Luke, and the anniversary of the assassination in Lagos. Somehow, in spite of good intentions and deep desires to sleep late, I am awake after about six hours, and I mean awake – not going back to sleep. So I was at breakfast by 7 – it is still dark at 7. Which is nice, watching the sun come up. Except that today the clouds are dark and full and sunrise is more black turning into grey. I ate lightly – in spite of an earlier comment, I don’t think I am going to come off the ship significantly lighter or smaller than I boarded. I went to one of the lounges – empty, of course – to pray and watch the heavy rain falling. Lovely. And quiet. Because the lounge was closed, no one thought it necessary to pipe in music, which is the case in virtually every other area of the ship except out on deck.

A couple of hundred people boarded the ship in Istanbul, so they had their orientation meetings and drills yesterday afternoon, and last night and today are engaged in wandering the ship, learning the geography. There are “rehearsals” for the last night talent show this morning. One can’t tell if that is auditions, or if everyone who shows up gets to perform. Several of our group are hot for me to take part, and I am (strangely) ambivalent. Certainly could be a good way to get the Xavier Society name in front of a lot of people. But it would also mean staying for the whole show. For all I know there could be magnificent talent on board. I am still reluctant. The call today takes place during the time we had scheduled for Mass, so I may be able to hide behind that – or show up just to see what’s going on. I did not bring any music, although I do have some accompaniment CD’s with me.

This afternoon we are supposed to go to Mykonos, which Yanni is going to lead us to as an individual (unpaid) visit. I will certainly be heading for an internet site – I am assuming there may be calendar proofs to look at, I have to send birthday greetings to people I have missed over the last several days, and I may be able to upload these latest ramblings. I am in one of the cocktail lounges as I write this – the sea has small whitecaps, and while the clouds overhead are dark grey, there is light on the horizon (at least on the port side) and no idea what the weather might be like for the afternoon. People are going by on their way to breakfast, and other small groups are sitting here talking and enjoying the view. Of course, rock music playing in the background, although more softly than usual. Grateful for small favors.

Time for Mass, so I went down and put together the Mass kit. The library was open and being used, so I went and sat in the Metropolitan Lounge for a bit. Mass was nice – several people not there, I know two had massage appointments. An Australian chap who had come in to use the library stayed for Mass. Several people had talked last night about singing – I was sort of hoping they’d forget the idea but they hadn’t, so we did, and it was very nice. I preached about the anniversary – it was on this date eleven years ago that I found myself in the middle of the assassination attempt. After Mass I stopped in the talent show sign ups but all I saw were people sitting in different areas either reading or chatting. Went into the lounge and had a Bloody Mary – thought I’d do some reading. The sea has gotten much rougher, the ship is definitely moving, and rain and grey clouds. But as I was starting my drink, the team trivia contest was also just starting. Sigh. Off to find a quiet spot. Not possible. The upstairs lounge where I had prayed this morning had a private function going on. The pool deck had a very loud drink making exhibition. All the chairs in the casino were filled, ditto the seating area outside Reception (where I had also gone earlier to change the tip totals for the cruise) – so I ended up back in my cabin, feeling a little curmudgeonly. I can only imagine what this ship is like if it is running at capacity. It’s not just the crowds but the accompanying volume with which people think it necessary to make announcements.

I did head back after a bit because the pool deck had a gyro station, and I love lamb. I stopped en route at the Rendez Vous lounge and ended up singing a couple of songs again, with a large group present, including several of the staff. The cruise director, the social activities lady, thinks I have a “magnificent” voice – who am I to argue. I made a strategic disappearance after some singing and headed up for lunch and the gyro. Turned out to be a chicken gyro station. Sigh. Not a day to buy a lottery ticket.

The ship is heading for Mykonos, but plowing through moderate seas and heavy rain. Things cleared a bit as we approached the fabled island. We had a short meeting, back to get things together and the traditional gathering for departure. There are shuttle buses that take passengers from the new cruise ship port (handles two hips at a time, and a much larger ship was already ahead of us in one berth, and we got the other.) Drops you off about a ten minute walk from the center of the town. There was a tour to the ruins of Delos – good luck to those folks, because the rain continued, alternating between moments of calm to absolute downpour – by the time we got to the center, we were all pretty much soaked. Bob and I peeled off and headed for an internet café, and found a real café on the waterfront with wifi – ie, no charge. So we ordered beers, and later on fries, and settled in. His computer only has about two hours of battery life, so after a bit he moved inside where there was electricity, I did as much as I could, and then wandered about the town for a bit. I did not get to the windmills, I did get to meet Pete the Pelican. As I hit the boat, the rain poured, and lightning across the bay is always dramatic.

The picture is our guide, Yanni, standing on the shore of Mykonos, at a rare quiet interval between rain downpours.

Had a wash, changed clothes and headed to the lounge for a drink, and then dinner in our private little dining room. Two of our group treated us to champagne – I asked what the occasion was and they said my anniversary – I think the morning homily had an impact. We tend to spend a full two hours at the table, which most seem to enjoy, but the staff ain’t crazy about. Tonight, there were fewer people serving, and we certainly could have been out and finished much sooner, if the service had been more efficient. I went to the lounge and ordered an Irish coffee and was sitting there as others come by. Elizabeth, the cruise director, came past and I asked her how the wedding had gone. We (the group) chatted with her for a bit, and I asked her if it was ok if I sang occasionally – I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. She said yes, and at that moment the piano was playing Moon River, so I jumped in. And a bit later did Torna a Sorrento. Nice reception. One  had left her card in her room – so I walked her to the desk to arrange for someone to let her in. I went back to the lounge, but the conversation was loud (to the obvious annoyance of some of the patrons who wanted to listen to the music) and very negative in tone, all about events that were over and resolved. So I wandered off. The pool deck was deep in a Latin dance event, it was pouring rain and getting rougher, so I figured it was probably time to go to bed. So I did.

SUNDAY - OCTOBER 17

Sunday, October 17 – Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, 2^nd bishop of Antioch after St. Peter. I was awakened at 6:55 by a pounding on the door – one of our group with a ticket for the day’s excursion wasn’t going to go and did I want to go? Had he pounded on the door at 6:30, I would have been off in a flash. But the group was supposed to gather at 7 for a 7:10 departure. Shower, brush teeth, dress, get food – not gonna happen in ten minutes. So I passed. Sigh – another life-changing opportunity lost.

When I did rouse myself – which was not too much later, because having been awakened, I could not go back to sleep – rats – the sun was coming out. Had breakfast with some folks from Honolulu who had boarded last night. Flight from Hono to Atlanta, and Atlanta to Istanbul, There were a trifle jet-lagged. Took coffee up outside – weather very nice, and lots of sun, although there are grey clouds that could be worrisome. Met another couple of New Brunswick and we chatted for a while. I went to the stern where there are chairs and tables for a quiet read of the morning hours, and found someone already in the Jacuzzi. I was immediately tempted but he told me it wasn’t hot – tepid even. I sat to read/pray, but somehow someone thought that the environment of a beautiful harbor with gorgeous scenery was enhanced by having loud, thumping music playing. Sigh. I disagreed, so I got up and wandered elsewhere where the ambience was less inviting but the silence infinitely greater. OK, I admit it, I am not a crowd person. Unless they are audience. Then the more the merrier.

We are twenty in our group – three are off on their own, meeting a friend in Istanbul. Two others are also on their own – one had been a flight attendant, and had visited the city a lot. Thirteen are on the tour, the one person who decided (at the last minute!) not to go and me – so there are only the two of us on the ship at the moment. Yanni says I can do internet at Mykonos on Monday, so depending on the weather I may go ashore later just to walk around – but it seems a day for going over the material for the calendar, reviewing the music for the CD recordings, working on the speech for Buffalo which I to deliver the day after I land, and of course, it’s never too early to work on the concerts for November and December – and at least two of those are new material, so I have to write a script and coordinate music. Yeah, that will keep me occupied. There is a Captain’s cocktail party tonight, dinner, and then Mass, since everyone will have been away all day. There is another show tonight – we’ll see. We sail at 7, so heading out the straits and back into the open sea is also fun to be on deck for.

It turned out to be a quiet sort of day. I spent some time on deck sitting in the sun (watched the crew paint the smokestack, and watched a large cruise ship dock in front of us) and the went to get a drink – a nice Sunday morning Bloody Mary. I had had one yesterday and it was very nice and included in the drink package I had opted for. This morning I was told there would be an extra charge. I will not bore you with the back and forth but while the staff was very nice and polite and wanting to be helpful, it was “the policy” and there was nothing they could do. Fair enough. So I told the bar manager – quietly and gently – that I was going to visit every bar on the ship several times a day, and at each bar I would buy a drink, stink my finger in it, and move on. I figured by the end of the cruise I could cost them between 400 and 500 euro. 

Suddenly he found a way to change the policy so I could get a Bloody Mary. The bartender and the waiter are Filipino, and they had said, before the bar manager got involved, that they could “take care” of me. But I told them if someone caught them, they they would get in trouble, and that was not what I wanted either. So we ended up with everyone happy. Well, maybe not the bar manager, but he should have been, because you know me, I would have done the visiting the bar routine.

I had lunch in one of the sit down restaurants. In the evening we have reserved seating – in fact our group has a small private dining room, which everyone continues to enjoy very much. But breakfast and lunch are open seating, and there are buffets and special food stations, and you get to try out all the different eating areas. Chatted with a retired teacher and his wife, who is an art teacher, from Minnesota. And went to lie down for little in my cabin. Spent some more time on deck in the sun, and then it was time for a shower and a change of clothes for the Captain’s cocktail party.

The “invitation” in the daily newsletter said dress for the event was “Elegant attire”. Closest thing I have is clerics, so I put on a black shirt, Roman collar and the black suit. Wore my silver cross for emphasis, put a Xavier Society for the Blind button on my lapel and off I went. As I got off the elevator, I found a long queue, so I followed directions and went around and discovered that the queue was even longer – and the reason was that before you approached the room where the ”party” was, there was a station through which everyone went where they took your picture against a moonlight backdrop. The gangplank picture was 12 euro – I can only imagine what this one costs. At the top of the stairs one is introduced to the captain – and the question, “Do you want a picture with the captain?” My answer – Sorry, I can’t afford it. Probably not what they were expecting.

This event was in the room where they do the shows, so everyone was herded in – past a trio of waiters with trays of drinks, and into seating areas. I slipped off and stood in the back. Nuts on the table, and waiters passing trays of hors d’oeuvres. It was interesting watching people come in. For some, “elegant attire:” meant shorts and a sports shirt. Chacun a son gout, and so forth. One couple in our group was shown in, met the Captain, not asked if they wanted a picture and shown to a table in the very rear of the facility, while there were lots of seats down front. Do you think that the fact that one of the couple is blind and carries a long cane had anything to do with this change in routine? After a bit the captain was introduced, in several languages, and then he introduced his executive staff, everyone applauded and the “party” was over. Sigh. Disappointing at best.

Dinner with the group was interesting. I asked how the day had been and the response was, “The tour from hell.” Apparently the guide, Ahmet we had met yesterday, moved at what one person described as “glacial speed,” and effectively kidnapped the group for almost 3 hours in a department store, where there was a real hard sell to buy things. I’m sorru I wasn’t there, I would have put an end to that in a hurry. Also apparently he was given to telling “Pope” jokes – one of the group if it was then ok to start telling Mohammed jokes, and that seemed to cool his jets a little. And everyone in the group was happy that someone had spoken up. Because of the marathon the group could not return to the ship so lunch was downtown – and (on a 105 euro tour!) they charged for water! And extravagantly. Many of our group are not longer young (and I would have to include myself in that description, of course) and in a day filled with walking, there was no opportunity except lunch to sit down. One of our blind members was ushered to a spot and Ahmet’s idea was that she should sit and wait and he would return later to collect her. Rather like a library book. She, quite rightly, protested, and went her way. All in all – not a successful day.

The one member of our group who had decided at the last minute not to go (remember the pounding on my door at 6:55 episode?) – he announced at dinner that he had spent yesterday afternoon and today at a free wifi place at the harbor. Now you’d think he could have mentioned that to someone? I have been off internet since Friday – I am hoping to find a place tomorrow – and I spent the day on the ship, as he well knew. A note? A message? Ah well – he was happy doing his thing, and apparently his distance from the group is more than just physical. He has said several times what a great trip it is – and when he is around, everyone enjoys him. But he is a slave – dare I say an addict? – to this connection business, and other human or group relations seem to fall away.

The rest of the group is learning about one another, and everyone seems to be having fun. After dinner we had Mass in the library. Very nice, and because it was Sunday, the readings for Mass are in the Mass Propers in Braille, and so three of our blind members took turns doing the readings. At the end of Mass there was a request that we might sing parts of the Mass the next day – and then folks headed off for assorted activities, including the evening Show “From NY to Parish.” I stuck my nose in – after changing out of the clerical suit – didn’t want to scandalize anyone any further when I showed up at the bar – but I sat in the rear, not having great expectations about the show. This time I didn’t stay until the end. Even things as basic as tempo – at once point they started New York, New York – and it was the slowest tempo I have ever heard with that particular piece of music. The amplification is REALLY LOUD – and the singers had the same problem with staying on pitch I had suffered through the night before. Maybe their hearing has been damaged with all the loud music? Again, costumes were lovely, choreography simplistic and awkward, and the soloists seem unaware of the repetitive mannerisms. One of the men has one gesture – he moves his hand (the one not clutching the mike) in front of him and to the side, and then he repeats it – virtually with every phrase of the song. That’s it – his whole repertoire of movement, except that at the very end of the song, he raises his hand a little.

I wandered off. The bar where the young lady plays classical music is just outside the theatre area, so the sound from the stag almost drowned out her playing. And if I had started to sing with her, that sound would (knowing my voice) I feared be heard within the other space. So instead of having another drink, I went back to the cabin, did a little reading, and to bed.

IDLE OBSERVATIONS

Of course, it is not high season, but we are an older group. There are few at the disco an night, and one can always find a spot at the gym. I have seen two children – the ship holds 1200 and my new best friend at the Rendez-Vous lounge tells me that there are a little over 800 on board. No wonder they are so busy hustling money at every opportunity. In the newsletter for Monday there is a note that we will be charged 8 euro a day for tips, unless we want to go to reception and change that to something else. I heard one distinguished gentleman talking about that and the word “Disgraceful” was used several times and with passion. I suspect he will tip more than the total when he is done, but the idea of having it automatically added to the bill really got under his skin. And I don’t disagree with him.

The cruise line is not coming away with high marks.

See the guys painting the smokestack?

SATURDAY - OCTOBER 16

Saturday, October 16 – I got up around 6. Yes, on purpose. Dressed and out to find the early coffee station, and outside on deck as we passed through the Dardenelles. Dark but the fortress was lit, and normal city lights along the shore made it a lovely moment. Cold, and occasional rain splatters. There is a real feeling of accomplishment being awake to see the run rise. There is an early breakfast service, and when I came back for the 3^rd cup I found two of our party there – one had gotten up early to go to the gym and the other, a historian, was out to see the fort and the early part of the passage. We chatted for a bit, and then I went to find the library, where we will have Mass, and to see about printing out the homily I wrote last night. Found that I can’t – and even if I pay the extraordinary (dare I say exorbitant?) price for internet use, I can’t use my thumb drive – nothing can be sent up and nothing can be received. In this day and age to advertise that internet is available and then prohibit any transaction is simply not honest advertising. (Grumble. Snort, Fratsis.) It’s not a question of technology – the equipment is here – someone just decided to limit any possibility of a virus or problem by eliminating all service. Ah well.

Let me give you a sample by sharing this morning’s schedule. Early coffee from 6 am. Buffet breakfast (including a waffle station) from 7:30 to 10 AM. 8 AM a walkathon, wake up and stretch exercises at 8:30 AM. Also at the same time a combined service club meeting – Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions. The library opens at 8:30. Port talk for those going ashore at 9:30, children’s activities start at 10 (although to be honest, I have yet to see any children) An origami class at 10:30 and napkin folding at 10:45.  A fashion show at 11 AM – also at the same time, fruit and vegetable carving. 11:30 AM – Bingo. And Greek cookery lessons. Several musical groups start playing at noon, and lunch is from noon until 2 (Tea is from 4 to 5) A special casino session from 12:30 to 2:30, bridge players at 2, team trivia at 2, Greek dance class at 2:30, and Stop the Bus (I have no idea what that is) Happy hours from 10:45 to 11:45 AM and 7:30 to 8:30 PM – buy one, get one free. We are supposed to dock at 4 and there is an afternoon and a separate evening tour. There is a show art 10 – Night at the Movies, music from great films – there’s jazz and disco dancing at one of the lounges, special drink and dancing sessions, and an on deck description of the shore and sights as we approach Istanbul. Now that doesn’t include the usual photo display, the specials for beauty shops and other places. In short, if you’re bored, it’s your own fault!

I can’t afford the Istanbul tours but I am going to go to the meeting to see what I can learn. I will probably head off by myself to explore and do the best I can. The overriding consideration – DON’T MISS THE BOAT!!!!  They did give us a map yesterday, which helps, but it doesn’t have a scale, so one doesn’t know if we’re talking about two miles or twenty.

As I write this I’m sitting in the cabin, looking out the window. Not a porthole – someone figured out that if you don’t have something that opens, you can have a lot larger window – so there is really a very nice view, and since I am on deck 4, I get to see the wake right outside the window. It’s overcast – grey – although just before 9 AM it’s fairly dark. Not necessarily gloomy but not bright. I’m going to head upstairs to pray the morning hours in the office (finding that I could put my breviary on the Kindle has been a GREAT thing) and pop into the on shore meeting.

I went to the meeting – yet another meeting. Long and full of slides and information and I left before it was over. I missed the napkin folding demonstration (rats! But I can buy a book about folding towels, which looks like it could be fun.) and wandered up on the pool deck. The cover is still on the area, and the sky is dark and grey – but there was a pasta station, doing spaghetti or noodles, and different sauces and different things you can add. Being a simple soul, I just had bacon and noodles – and a cold draft – lovely. Back to the stateroom for a little quiet time and then – another meeting, this time with Yanni and our group to finalize our own tour options. I left that one early too since we were supposed to have Mass in the library. By the time the meeting was over, Mass was about 40 minutes late in starting – and we had missed the on deck narration of coming into port. IN fact as we came out of Mass they were making the first announcements about gathering for the afternoon tour.

The regular tour packages had been disrupted because there is a marathon in town on Sunday, and so streets will be closed for much of the day. Even though Turkey is 97% Muslim, their weekend is Saturday and Sunday and Sunday is the official day off. This is a leftover from the 1920’s move to make the country more “modern,” which in those days meant Western. So the “full day” tour starts on Saturday and continues on Sunday. One of our group bought a ticket, but is only interested in going on Sunday, so I got to go on Saturday. Yanni had arranged our own bus and guide, and off we went. I had volunteered to walk with one of the blind people who is traveling alone, and we had a lovely time. The guide is young, named Sammi, but took the college course for guiding, and has been working for four years.

We rode through the streets, in the “Modern” city – on the Asian side. As you probably know, being highly educated and sophisticated readers, Istanbul (formerly Constantinople – I’ll wait if you want a little of the song. Ready?) is a city split in the middle, with Asia on one side and Europe on the other.  The modern side has architecture reminiscent of the worst days of Russian building, but very modern street cards with tracks in the center of the major roads. Traffic was heavy – it was a Saturday afternoon – and people seem to think traffic signals are pretty lights decorating the corner, but fulfilling no particular function. People walk everywhere – anywhere – at any time – and cars are only marginally better. The idea seems to be that you go through the intersection until the actual moment the light actually turns red – and maybe even a little after that. So a car starting immediately on the green runs a real risk of ramming someone sneaking through the last seconds of red.

We went over a bridge leading into the old city, the European side – a long bridge and people were fishing on both sides. Not a few, but side by side on both sides for virtually the whole length of the bridge. Perhaps a hundred or more fisherman doing their thing on a Saturday afternoon. Past mosques and the train station that was the last stop on the famed Orient Express. Through narrow streets and cobblestones and a mix of shops, modern and looking back to earlier years. We got to a spot, set a time to re-gather and off we went, into

the Grand Bazaar, a covered market area of over 4,000 shops, 18 exits and over 30,000 people working there. Large and crowded, very tourist oriented and bargaining is the rule. Lots of fun. And although I did some bargaining, and taught some of the others in our group some of the basics (Hey, remember I had 12 years of living in Nigeria!) I didn’t buy anything. When we gathered, and one of our group had an encounter with a seller who told her that “this very day” his wife had given birth to a son, and so she should buy something to help him celebrate, that he could take something home for his wife, we headed for the spice bazaar. Now along the way we had picked up a new guide, Ahmet, and he is a slick, older professional guide. In the best oriental style. Very good – very taking care of his people – very connected with local merchants and you KNOW there is a kickback going on here. Which is fine, since he provided a good experience.

The spice bazaar, as the name implies, is mostly spices. Some smaller stalls and other things, although we did not see much of it, since his “contacts are the first two shops just inside the entrance we used. We visited a spice shop and sampled spices and Ahmet gave a not very subtle sales pitch. But the spices are fresh and the prices significantly lower than the US. Next door was a candy shop – Turkish delight in a wide variety of flavors (the mint is not to believed!), dried apricots, nuts in several varieties, figs – you get the idea. And again, sales pitch. And again, good value, and lots of our people bought stuff. I resisted – although the aphrodisiac jelly with a plastic figure of a man with a LARGE erect member was hard to resist. Back to the ship for a late supper.

I was on my way into dinner and passed through a lounge where a young lady was playing piano – and as I walked in, she was starting La Donna e mobile. Now I had been very good about resisting things all day long, and I was plumb out of resistance, so I started singing. Lots of applause. Got talking to someone, and the next thing I know, she was playing Libiamo from Traviata. Then Torna a Sorrento, and ultimately O Sole Mio. Well, you know me. It was fun.

Yanni came by and was somewhat surprised. People had talked about my singing, but he had never heard me sing. I had a drink, and then wandered off. (Notice that I never made it to dinner – I’m going to be the first person in a long time to lose weight on a cruise.) Did some reading and then headed to the big lounge for the evening show, “Music from the Movies.”

Now it’s a cruise show, and one does not go in with great expectations. Which was good, Because even scotch could not help. I assume they all think they’re great. The singers have a very flat sound – unfortunately flat meaning both the richness of the tone and the ability to stay on pitch. The girls are tall, the men agile, the singers mildly painful and the choreography uninspired. The costumes were lovely – but even the creation of the show was disappointing. There is great movie music – much of which was totally ignored. On a screen behind the stage, clips from a film would be shown and on stage, a singer with a song remotely connected to the show (for the film “Amadeus,” a rock song the refrain of which – and virtually the only understandable lyric – was the word “Amadeus,” sung over and over and over and so on.) The show went about 40 minutes – there were times it seemed longer. Where I come from, there are a lot of really talented young performers who are looking for work, and usually the cruise shows can draw on some real talent. Doesn’t seem to be the case here. I will go to a couple of other shows, just to see – but this was a yawn. Loud – but I even dozed a little at the end. If I were casting, there was one young lady with a light baritone voice I would ask back, just to see if she could do anything else – but the right would have their resumes filed in the circular file.

At that point I was ready for bed – or at least quiet. I found an old movie on tv – Victoria and John Brown – and I dozed through some of that and crash around midnight.

FRIDAY - OCTOBER 15

October 15 – Friday. One thing we have learned in Greece (besides that there is no such thing as a deadline – except when you’re on the ship) is that plans change. Up and down for breakfast as the place opened. No one else came, and I was able to have a lovely breakfast and enjoy reading while I ate. Shower and shave – have I mentioned that I have yet to get used to this barbaric (you should pardon the expression) custom of starting the day by dragging a blade across your face? Sigh. And on to the cathedral for Mass. No sign of the sacristan, so I found vestments, and found the hosts, got the sacramentary and lectionary ready – the advantage of having been there two days before. He showed up as I was almost ready to go out. We chatted – the value of a good education that included French – and Mass we was lovely. At the end someone mentioned that our guide, Yani, had said there would be a later departure time than previously announced (See what I mean about plans?) I strolled back, and Yani called my room – seems the Acropolis was going to be open this morning, so we would check out of the hotel around noon, and go to the acropolis, with a stop at Mars Hill, and then on to the boat. And – to make things even nicer – the weather was turning absolutely gorgeous.

I took advantage of the extra time to pack and do some work on the computer, since I wasn’t entirely sure about the internet on the boat. I knew it would be available, but since I had paid for it, I thought I might as well take advantage of it. I checked out the ship which whetted my appetite, and before I knew it, it was time to head out.

Gentle bus ride to the acropolis park (through which I had walked yesterday) and we’re starting to recognize things along the way. The indefatigable, knowledgeable and non-stop talking Mara was with us again. The walk up the hill was out of the range of a couple of the group, so Yanni stayed with them, and we set off. It’s a gentle slope, but slippery and not an easy go in some places. Well, I mean a strapping man like me had no problem with it, but for some, it could have proved a challenge. Two of the four blind members were along with us and they certainly had no problem with the climb.

We stopped en route to look at the musical stadium, which was built by a Roman general in memory of his young wife, and which is still used today for concerts and major events. Mrs. Mara had a drawing of what the place looked like when it was built, with a roof and statues filling all of the back niches – really quite impressive. Seats around 5,000.

Now we had been looking at the Parthenon for several days – in pictures, across the city from the roof of the hotel, from the museum – and we had talked about Parthenon, and many of us knew things about the Parthenon already. So I was really not prepared for what an impression it made to be standing there. Knowing all the mathematics and odd bits about the building increases the sense of wonder, but if I were to have known nothing at all, I am sure that the sheer size and beauty of the building and the site and the realization of how old it is would still have taken my breath away. What they did – in the space of nine years (Yes, that’s how long it took to build – they had money and so they were able to work – at 2,000 years before Christ, mind you – at a pretty good speed. Mrs. Mara said she did not think the building could be duplicated today, and certainly not in that time frame.)

I could overwhelm you with facts and data and stuff you can perfectly well go and read for yourself. At some point I might sit down and do some of that. But right now, I have to confess, the strongest memory is not the data but the image of those huge columns against a gorgeous blue sky, sitting on top of a mountain, overlooking a huge city.

We met as scheduled – well, sort of on schedule – and visited Mars Hill, which is on the way down. Mars Hill? This is the place where Paul preached to the men of Athens, delivering his famous (ie described in the Acts of the Apostles) sermon about having found an altar to “the unknown god.” It’s an impressive rock – and the only solid tie to St. Paul of the day. Before we knew it, time to head off for the boat.

Check in was gentle and easy – the welcome on the boat impressive – the cabin is lovely. We just about had time to get settled in, and suddenly it was time for the lifeboat drill. From there we went to a meeting about life on the boat and the optional tours at the sites we will be visiting, and then it was time for dinner. Well, after the official meeting by the boat people, Yanni talked to us again and pushed people to make their choices about tours. They’re not cheap and that is a concern for some. Not for me – I just can’t go, so that’s actually fairly easy. Exploring Istanbul by myself is a little daunting – but as long as I get back to the ship before it leaves, how much trouble can I get into?

Yanni had arranged for a private dining area for our group – well, for all but two who had decided they wanted the later seating for dinner. Had they not, we probably would not have fit into this space. But it’s very nice and everyone seems pleased. Stressed about the tour choices having to be mad but it’s settling in.

Life on the ship. Well, not everything is exactly as advertised. The information was that internet facilities would be available on the ship. And they are. At 15 euro for one hour. That’s about $23. The information was that smoking was only permitted on deck and in one of the lounges. Fair enough. Only when one gets on board does the small print appear – It is not permitted to smoke cigars or pipes on board. Well dang. The ticket is inclusive – your meals are included, and coffee and water. Soft drinks and fruit juices and specialty coffees (like cappuccino or espresso) those are extra, as are hard drinks. I signed up for an all inclusive ticket – one fee to cover all your drinks for the full 7 days.  WhenI first saw the plan, I thought it was excessive. But when I sat down to do the arithmetic, especially considering the non-alcoholic drinks – well, we’ll see how it comes out, because I did sign up. So I had a drink in the lounge, and a glass of champagne with dinner. I’ll have to do more drinking tomorrow to make up.

There are shows and events not only each night but each moment. I am saying Mass on board in the library, and for Sunday, they are going to announce that Catholic Mass is available. I have NO idea how many people may show up for that – I hope I don’t run out of hosts. There is also – wait for it – a passenger talent show night. Contrary to what the casual reader might think, my first instinct is to become invisible. The range of “talent” is going to tend to modern songs and American Idol wannabe’s. It would be a nice way to get the name “Xavier Society for the Blind” in front of people – but my instinct is still to become invisible. We’ll see.

I like sailing. Or whatever the appropriate term is for moving across the water on a ship that carries 1,200 people. (We are on a ship called Crystal, of the Louis line, if you want to see the ship for yourself. Although at 15 euro an hour, it might all be over before I get the chance to send this up to the blog site so you can actually see it.) The vibration of the engine passes throughout the ship and in a very few moments will lull me to sleep. I did not go to the show this evening – A Mamma Mia night, melodies of Abba – nor did I go to the Bingo (5 euro a card) nor to the disco party nor to any of the other half dozen things going on. Fuddy duddy that I am. But we are passing through the Dardenelles around 6:30 in the morning, and I sort of think I want to be up for that.

We turned in our passports, and we each have a card, like a hotel key card, and it does open the door to my cabin. It also acts as a ship wide charge card, and will be used to check us off and on the boat. (Note – this means that if you miss the boat, not only are you left behind and on your own, you are in a foreign country without a passport. Now THERE is motivation for being on time.) It’s a dangerous prospect, because it is so easy to just present the card for payment at a shop, at the bar – which, of course, is the idea. Tips for the staff are added on to your final bill at the rate of 8 euro a day – which is reasonable – but the small print notes that you can go to the reception desk and change the amount of the tip. Very small print.

Enough. I will share more of the wonders of life aboard the ship tomorrow. We arrive in Istanbul around 4 – although I did not sign up for the “Istanbul by night” tour, nor for the full day tour on Sunday. (105 euro – not an option.)