Santorini

Most people have heard of the lost city of Atlantis. The legend says it was a thriving civilization that disappeared almost overnight. It was supposedly swallowed by the sea.







As we entered the harbor at Santorini, I could tell it was the result of a volcanic eruption.
It’s easy to visualize and there is still parts of these islands that are still smoldering.

The city is located on top of a nearly vertical cliff and you can see layers and layers of volcanic ash along the caldron walls.
Is this where the lost city of Atlantis used to be?

Well…one thing for certain, there was an enormous “Big Bang” here once and as I mentioned earlier, it’s still smoldering.

There have been “Big Bangs” several times in history but NOTHING like the one in Santorini.

It was devastating….

Science has determined there were tidal waves and destruction for hundreds of miles when this happened.

There are three ways to enter the city while moored in this harbor.

Take the elevator,
walk, or ride a donkey.

We took the scenic route up the elevator and wandered around the city for several hours. The city is a labyrinth of streets and it’s easy to lose yourself in this puzzle designed to hinder pirates and conquerors that have invaded this city for centuries.

We visited several other islands while in this area and we walked along beaches watching nude sun worshipers.

No….I didn’t take any pictures but I have fond memories.

Olympia

I think the Olympics are one of the greatest ideas of the world.
In the original games they competed for a simple Olive Branch.
These are a few pictures of the original arena where the games were played.

It was a time of peace…….

Ephesus

I was a young sailor when I visited here the first time. The propellers and drive shaft of my ship were destroyed in the harbor of Malta and we spent almost a month in dry-dock at Naples Italy.

I had been fortunate to visit Rome for a few days and explore the Vatican. I had been blessed by the Pope in St Peters Square and then my tour of duty in the Navy was finished and I returned to America.

This time, after spending a few days in Turkey, we sailed on smooth seas, and I would spend almost a week in the Mediterranean Islands.

Most people know the port of Ismir as the Biblical city of Ephesus. The apostle John and the Virgin Mary spent their last days here on the mountain above the city. The apostle Paul attempted to preach the gospel here.

On this passage of the Agean Sea, I would see places thousands of years old and visit many of the places the Apostles had preached before their deaths.

Earthquakes, time, and the receding sea have destroyed Ephesus but the remaining ruins still speak to us today. Centuries ago, this was the site of a magnificent library. Scholars from all parts of the Mediterranean would travel here to study. The Egyptians created papyrus to compete with them.

As we exited the arena and we walked down the path towards the sea, I could envision Mark Anthony and Cleopatra strolling towards the ships in the harbor.

In its best days, this was the busiest port in the area but now there is nothing but ruins. The sea is several miles away because it is full of silt and has become land.

This entire area is an open history book. Before we would leave this area, we would view the original Olympic arena and see many wonders. This is going to be a much different trip than the one in my Navy days. The Mediterranean Sea is a very interesting place and I am looking forward to seeing it through the eyes of an older person.

Seven Sins

"There are seven sins in the world:
Wealth without work,
Pleasure without conscience,
Knowledge without character,
Commerce without morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principle".

Mahatma Gandhi

Galapagos Birds

One of the amazing things on the Galapagos Islands is the birds.
They have the normal territorial disputes over nesting sites but no fear of humans. I once saw a British tourist sitting with a half dozen Mockingbirds perched on his arms. The Mockingbirds cleverly determined our drinking water was in the plastic bottles we carried on shore. Whenever they saw a clear plastic bottle, they automatically expected a free drink because fresh water is RARE on the islands.

(Something NOT approved by the guides)

The Frigate Bird was probably the most colorful and vocal of the birds we saw while on land. The males would go to enormous lengths to attract a female. They would blow up air sacs in their throats to proudly display their bright red colors. These guys were real hams… We didn’t see a lot of Flamingos but I got a good shot of this one wading in brackish water and feeding on marine life. These blue footed birds are famous and you won’t find these at many places in the world.
Our trip was nearing the end now and we would spend a few days in a little town before flying back to Quito and returning home. We had been sailing for about a week and staying on the small boat as we moved between the islands.

A small boat with a crew and passenger list of 15 is about the max here.
Any boat with a draft of more than 10 meters is not acceptable in these waters.

At night I would sit on the deck and watch the stars. The Milky Way looked bright as an Interstate Highway and the Constellation Orion was actually upside down when viewed from here. It was fantastically beautiful at night….
This was a place where I never saw the vapor trail of a jet in the night sky.

We stayed in this area for a few days and snorkled with sting rays and seals several times before heading back to Quito and our return flight to the United States.
I feel very fortunate to have traveled here and viewed this part of the world.

It would be nice to return some day and see this again.

Galapagos Iguanas

Iguanas are still making the transition from the sea to the land.

Charles Darwin saw this on his voyage around the world.

Galapagos Turtles

Tortoises, Birds and Iguanas come in all different shapes and sizes.

Everything in the Galapagos Islands is evolving in its own direction.

Galapagos Post Office

Pirates have visited the Galapagos Islands for hundreds of years. When they first arrived there were thousands of giant tortoises that could provide sailors food for months while traveling at sea. They captured and killed these creatures by the thousands and almost drove them to extinction but today there are enormous efforts to preserve and reproduce them.

Travel is now very controlled and there are strict rules for setting your feet on these islands. We were not allowed to carry ANY food along on our excursions because of the danger of altering the natural lifestyles of the animals. We traveled among the islands on small boats and landed on many of the beaches by jumping overboard and wading to shore from small Zodiaks. We only took a few liters of water and hiked on designated paths. Wandering off on your own can be fatal here and many people have died from dehydration and heat stroke.

The Galapagos Islands are one of the most interesting places on earth.

It’s all about animals….

Charles Darwin noticed that animals adapted to their individual environments to survive the harsh life here. I also saw these changes in birds and giant tortoises. The tortoises were especially adaptive to the vegetation growing in their habitat. Some would have longer necks and some would have different shaped shells. And of course, their size was limited to the amount of food on the island.

You will also find two types of Iguanas on these islands. One feeds off marine life and the other feeds off land vegetation.
The animals on the Galapagos Islands have no fear of mankind and you can get very close to them. I once swam to a rock formation and found a large school of fish. As I dove under and thru them (there were thousands) the sea lions were agitated into a “feeding frenzy” but I never felt threatened by them. As I swam back to shore, one of the sea lions curiously followed me all the way back to the beach.
Near the last of the journey, we put into a small pirate cove that has been famous for many years. Pirates have always used this BARREL as a post office near the beach landing.
It's sort of a letter drop…..

It was so well known that sailors would leave messages and letters there in the hopes that the next ship might be going in the direction of the addressee, and would take them along in hopes of getting information their friends and relatives.
I left a post card addressed to my father back home with hopes that someone traveling to West Virginia would mail it when they returned to the United States. To my surprise, he received it in two weeks, along with a note saying that the person was born and raised near Good Hope, WV.
My Dad, as well as I, was very amused.

The Market

I think the thing I enjoyed most in South America was being around people and there was no better way to do this than visit a market on a busy day.

I got a kick out of the HATS people wore while shopping. You can tell which people are in what groups by looking at them. It’s much like seeing “Steelers” or “Cowboys” hats in the United States.

You can also tell by the colors in their clothing and the patterns in the woven fabric they use for everything. I could spend weeks in a market just watching people because it’s such a fascinating place and a social opportunity to learn about people.

This basic, essential lifestyle and the people’s attitude about life in general is something to be admired. Everyone is on the same level here and the way they watch out for and help each other is something to be proud of.

This is truly a communal farming lifestyle.

Food is plentiful and I’ve always said that if you have food, shelter, and clothing, life is what you make of it after that…..

I couldn’t get over the variety of food that is made out of corn in South America. There are dozens of different kinds of it here. Some of the kernels are big as quarters and it’s really tasty. There are puddings, pies, and drinks made out of it and it’s really great.

The purple corn is the best….

Oh…by the way…there’s not much refrigeration in the country out here.

If you eat meat….it’s fresh!

There’s not much waste and it’s all used very quickly.

My time was getting short now in South America and we would soon fly to Quito for the connecting flight to the Galapagos Islands.

The Galapagos Islands are one of the most isolated places in the world.
Many times I relaxed on the deck of the boat and gazed at the nighttime stars.
The Milky Way was bright as an Interstate Highway and the constellation Orion was actually upside down in the sky from here.

While here, I never once saw the vapor trail of a jet crossing the night sky.

The Shaman

I attended a healing ceremony while in South America and was blessed by a Shaman.
They take this very seriously and it's considered an honor.
Before leaving the country, I was also allowed to feast on a Guinea Pig.
They only share this meal with the best of friends...
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A lot of people in South America consider the Shamans to be the leaders in the community. They are the doctors, psychologists, counselors, and therapists in small towns.

Life is not always what it seems to be and we saw many things that were unexplainable and many things I didn’t understand.

The Shamans believe cats have the ability to absorb harmful energy, without being harmed themselves. They pass it off without any danger to themselves or anyone.
That explains why you get such a nice feeling while petting a cat sitting on your lap.

One of the strangest things I saw in South America was the SKULLS of their ancestors sitting on the mantle of a small hut. It was much like placing the pictures of our relatives and loved ones on the fireplace of our homes.
Life is SO simple here and SO primitive at times.

I’ve camped and hiked most of my life in West Virginia and have been accustomed to cooking on an open fire, sleeping on the ground, and filtering my water before drinking from a stream.

This is the daily life for many people in Peru and Ecuador.

Istanbul Turkey

A few months ago, I spent a few days in Istanbul Turkey.
I felt privileged to experience their hospitality.

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I was a little apprehensive about traveling to this new part of the world. A few weeks before we arrived in Turkey, several tourists were killed in a crowded restaurant from a bomb blast planted by dissident Kurds. As we arrived at the hotel, our car was stopped by a nail barrier, pushed before the wheels, inspected underneath with mirrors, and searched for explosives. The government was taking no chances but I was beginning to wonder if we had made a mistake by traveling here.

Our customs are quite different and in the short time we will be here, it will be difficult not to show our western traits. Crossing your arms, sticking your hands in your pockets or showing the soles of your feet is considered rude. As we drifted off to sleep that night, I noticed a compass rose etched into the table top. The morning call to worship requires Muslim followers to pray towards Mecca.

We decided to arrive in Turkey a few days early to see the city and spend some time wandering around before sailing towards the Greek Islands. The Turks are VERY aggressive when they drive in busy traffic. Traveling from the airport to the hotel, a Mercedes Taxi will lumber along comfortably at 160 km, and people drive like this all the time.

Istanbul is a city of 10 million people and I wondered how they lived in a culture where religion permeates the society. As we ate breakfast we could see the sun glistening off the domes of the Sultans Palaces. It seemed only a short walking distance to one of the most famous Mosques in Istanbul and we wondered if we could walk there safely. I could sense the difference between the responses of the hotel staff and servants as Marilyn or I asked directions from the Hilton Hotel.

Turkey is a very male dominated society. The males kiss each other on the cheek and hug each other in public. As we walked downtown, I saw two men walking together arm in arm. Make no mistake about it, the men in Turkey are very masculine and there was nothing “funny” about this. It was only a sign of friendship. Istanbul is a city where even our basic words, unintentionally, can come into conflict. I began to think about everything before speaking or posturing.

But like most things you fear while reading the papers, Marilyn and I found Turkey to be a warm and friendly place. We (or I should say me) got up our courage to take a walk downtown the next morning. The more I visit different parts of the world, the more I realize people are the same everywhere we visit.

We felt very comfortable walking around and often sat down on a bench and watched people. (one of my favorite sports). It’s true about showing your feet and I noticed when sitting on the benches, the men would cross their legs in a way not to offend others with their soles. There is still a big difference between the young and old people also. I would notice a young couple embracing and holding hands occasionally but also older women dressed in the traditional “head to toe” covering. I never noticed anyone wearing shorts. For the most part, they are very modest.

Because we are from West Virginia, and this is a city of 10 million people, and the chances of meeting someone from your own home town are about 10 million to one, we were both shocked to find ourselves standing across from our neighbors after exiting the Topkapi Palace.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw our friends that we regularly practice Yoga with in Charleston. They had been on tour for a few weeks earlier and were here the same day and time. We didn’t know they were going to be here and they didn’t know we were going to be here.


Perhaps Allah was granting us a special memory?

That evening we had a meal at one of the local restaurants, with local music, and Turkish Belly Dancers. They have amazing muscle control and are the best in the world. We were also introduced to the local drink. It’s called Raki and has a licorice taste. It’s 45% alcohol and mixed half and half with an equal shot of water. It’s VERY strong and popular with the Turks.

I was impressed with Istanbul and found it to be a fascinating place to visit and I wish we could spend more time here and mingle with the people. Don’t expect to leave Turkey without being shown their famous hand made rugs and I could have spent days at the Grand Bazaar. It’s one of the oldest trading places in the world and something not to miss.

The people are warm, friendly, and polite.
We could learn a lot from them.
I’d come back here in a heart beat.
We loved this place!

Windmills

I couldn't get the Bob Dylan lyrics out of my head as I watched the windmill blades whirling round on these mammoth steel beams.

How many times must a man look up, before he can see the sky?
How many years can a mountain exist, before it's washed to the sea?
The white dove sails and the hawks fly as we shake our heads and wonder how many roads we must all walk down before we can hear the answer blowing in the wind.

I've got mixed feelings as I frightfully view the colossal structures before me.
Our dependence on fossil fuel is becoming more dangerous every day, and in order to keep the Cannonballs from flying, we MUST become more responsible users of our energy. How many times can a man turn his head, pretending he just doesn't see?

I see the similarity of Bob Dylan's thoughts and fears of industrial mechanization in today's life. How many times have you seen hundreds of cars, in rush hour traffic, with ONE person behind the wheel? How many gas guzzling speedsters at 80 miles an hour in a 60 mile zone? Where is it going to end my friend?
Forests are madcap, uncultivated, and disorderly. That's why symmetrical, orderly windmills seem so out of balance in nature.

I certainly don't have all the answers but coal burning power plants ruffle a lot of feathers too.

I don't like to see windmills OR power plant columns but they're a necessity and they are here to stay. You have to make a choice.

I'd much rather see these than strip mines and clear cut forests...

The Frog Game

This entry is a continuation of a story about a trip to South America last year. You can read the other entries by scrolling down below:

One of the BEST things about traveling with a small group is having the time to meet local people and learn about their culture. Many times we would stop on the side of the road to see interesting things.

The Peruvians make a BEER out of corn that is VERY good.
It’s cheap, easy to make, and available everywhere in the country.

We HAD to stop and sample some of it on the way back from Macchu Pichu.

You know where BEER is sold when you see a long pole with a red plastic bag attached to it on the highway. You also learn about a local game they play while they’re drinking and having a good time.

It’s Called FROG….

FROG is played with a handful of gold coins, which are tossed through the air towards a box, with (what else) but a “GOLD FROG” in the middle of it.

One coin down the frog’s throat is a thousand points. Coins missing the frog but landing in the other holes on the back and sides of the box are worth five hundred or a hundred points.

Needless to say, my experience “pitching quarters” in my reckless youth hit the jackpot!

After the first couple of tosses, I had the same feeling a good basketball player has when he shoots the ball from half court. The bells were ringing as coin after coin found the GOLD FROG and I racked up an impressive score of ten thousand points.

The Peruvians sure have a fun time playing this game.
Sometimes….. Even people from West Virginia have fun playing this game!