Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity Constellation, Nov.12.-24.13

I flew to Istanbul/Turkey on Nov.10, a couple of days before the start of the cruise. I enjoyed the city more than ever before staying at Historia Hotel, which was a cozy, friendly place in historic surroundings. After a day at sea we arrived Kusadasi, then Bodrum and Marmaris. In those cities I enjoyed the late Autumn days in nice street cafes facing the sea,and also using the good shopping possibilities, which is not normal for me. On the sixth day we were at Rhodes/Greece for me first time in 40 years, which city after the tourist season was over, looked totally dead. I made by bus a tour partly outside the city, and returned to the ship. Next day saw us in Santorini/Greece, where shops and bars were specially opened for us to be closed again until late February, when the next cruise ship would arrive. The white village on the top of the hill is extremely beautiful and enjoyable. I spent my day there with a young Mexican couple, who I had met onboard. They were in a two months honeymoon tour in Europe, and were ready to spend money a lot. I advised them to squeeze prices just to get more, and helped them to select gold and jewelry. I had a favorite shop there, and how strange it was, the lady owner of this gold boutique was a Mexican too. When leaving the shop laughing at the overwhelmingly happy bride, the lady gave to all of us a bottle of good Santorini white wine. A couple of days later I was a tourist guide for two Canadian couples at Mykonos/Greece, which island I knew quite well from my previous visits. Our last stop before Civitavecchia/Italy was Naples/Italy where I made a tour with those same Canadians round the old part of the city and finishing it with pizza Margharita in its original place. Next day I already flew to Venice to meet my long time friend Peter Gloystein with his family and to celebrate my birthday with them. But as he had his birthday next day, we then at midnight finished mine and started his. In the following evening Peter, a lady friend of him and me had a dinner in the famous Harry's Bar. Next morning I supposed to fly home but the airport of Venice was striking, and I had to take a train to Milan, where I spent a pleasant evening with Italian red wine, flying at noon next day Nov.26. back home.