A walk in Central Park

Finally it has cooled down in NYC, a great time for a quick lunch walk
through the park. Beautiful weather!

Home in a few hours... NYC was nice but very much looking forward to the
weekend!

New York! But can anyone explain why it takes a half hour to find an empty cab in a city of 15 million?!

What a sight to see!!

Ancient Delos... Immense and spectacular!

Very hot under the blinding sun. Takes a half hour by ferry and is the
isle adjacent to Mykonos.

Spectacular, it is an entire city. Many parts sufficiently intact that
you can close your eyes and imagine the ancient Greeks going to the
theatre, watch sport or even shop and live their lives.

At the very end off the beaten path I found a piece of marble etched with
Roman carvings... fascinating as it shows how the site evolved.

The site is completely overrun by weeds and you can walk anywhere, even on
top of the sides of buildings.

My favorite part was seeing the side wall of the stadium and the shops next
to the wall, you could see how people sold food and souvenirs back then.
I also loved walking to the top of the theatre and looking down, you can
totally imagine it filled with people watching plays...

Now on boat ride back to lovely Mykonos town where I will meet with Andrew
and have lunch!

Yes, that is a pelican walking through our restaurant...

Mykonos is amazing!

Having a beer in Mykonos... This is the view...

Wow!

Mykonos=€$£

Wow.

So we wake up and go downstairs to breakfast overlooking the stunning beach
and just see even more yachts the size of a small cruise liner. Then on
our way to the beach... By the way where many women are topless... We pass
by a taxi (1 of only 30 on the island) that was a gorgeous silver Mercedes
sedan with black leather interior.

Our hotel is filled with older people, some families but also many 30s
couples... Straight and gay... Very interesting, and lots of money.

About to head back to the hotel to shower, change and head off to Hora to
check it out.

Mykonos!

First impression .... Wow they have big yachts here!!!

Temple of Demitris in Naxos

Very interesting. This temple is a key in classic Greek architecture as it
was the first clear example of temples made entirely of marble and also
showed exact roof structures. Over time was converted into a church but
remains now are predominantly of the Greek temple.

Hot arid location in central Naxos. Reminds me very much of the
California Gold Country.

Now having lunch in the cute town of Piloti before heading up to the set
community of Apirathos...

Temple of Apollo in Naxos

Right off town center, amazing ruins that are really beautiful at sunset
and lit up at night.

Naxos is a very late starting, late night town. Dinner gets going around
10pm... Shops open until late...

Off to tour the island by car before ferry to Mykonos...

Tonights dinner in Naxos

Macedonian Beer in Naxos, Greece... Refreshing!

Paros from the ferry...

Next stop Naxos!

Ios from the ferry

Looks beautiful but we're not going. Tons of 20 year olds on our ferry
getting off and tons here @ port waiting to get on. The ferry goes next to
Paros then Naxos (our stop) before going to Mykonos.

I have a feeling the kids are on their way to Mykonos...

Last day in Santorini

On our way to Naxos. Yesterday we drove to Ancient Thira which was a 1000
foot steep drive up a cliff. The ruins were amazing from ancient Greek and
Roman times, but hella windy. At times we thought we would be blown over.

We had lunch in a little resort town with a black sand beach. They sell
water shoes so you can walk on the sand it is so hot, but lots of tourists
still. Very cute path along the beach with predictable beach stores...

Then we drove along the coast to Oia which is so spectacular Andrew kept
calling it "sick"... Stunningly gorgeous and certainly the highlight of the
island. Sweeping hotels going down the cliffs with pools and bars at
random levels, all in the typical white stone. Wow. Spread out are
little stores and cafes. A very hot day in the sun, maybe 90.

We ended up having dinner at a little restaurant at the bottom of the town,
which amazingly enough you can drive to. Fish and incredible views.

Drove back and collapsed in hotel for another 11 hour sleep. Now we sit
in our local cafe having wine and Greek salad overlooking the central
square before we head off to the island of Naxos by ferry. This time
staying in town at a pension... A far cry from the Relais& Chateaux
experience we just had but surely fun...

Beautiful Oia, Santorini

Stunning!

Day sail around Santorini

Amazing day sailing on a boat with 8 others around the island, including a
swim in the hot springs and lunch on board. Took a half hour nap in the
sun aboard. Andrew befriended and translated for an Italian family of 6
adults... So relaxing!

Pyrgos, Santorini

What an experience! We arrived from Istanbul around 2.30pm to Santorini
where a bus picked us up and dropped us off at the edge of a little village
and told us "van coming" to take us to our hotel.

As we waited for the van, we saw a man dressed in white coming down the
steep pathway up the hill with a donkey... I made a joke "Andrew, here
comes our van..." and I was right!

He was the porter from the hotel and they have donkeys that pick up your
stuff, then you are escorted up the steep narrow pathways, past charming
white houses, cafes, stores and churches to our hotel which has a
spectacular view of the island!

The photo is a view from our room across the courtyard. It is a suite
built into the rock... Amazing. We walked all around our little town,
which has a castle atop the hill and more winding streets than can be
believed. Dinner at a little cafe at the town square, then coffee and
dessert with the old folk. Such an experience!

Today we take the bus into Fira and explore... That is, after several pool
hours...

Andrew in Greece!

Time for phyllo bread and we haven't even gotten to Santorini yet... All
smiles!

In front of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Amazing place, amazing day just strolling to see the sights. Highlight
was the Hagia Sophia which feels like a middle age castle complete with old
Byzantine art mixed with Muslim art. A great day!

Now back to rest before Turkish body scrub and back massage before
dinner... Off to Santorini tomorrow!

Dining in Istanbul... What a view!

Spectacular view from a seafood restaurant on the Bosphorous. Wow!

Spectacular Istanbul

Wow this place is truly photogenic... Water, hills, mosques on every
corner...

View of Istanbul

Wow! Beautiful city from what I see so far... A bit of exploring today...
Meeting room is all set and running so now some down time.