(Excerpts from "Athens to Istanbul Cruise")

Slept like babies after all the food and drink, and woke as we were docking in  Gythion after the long passage along the west side of the Peloponnese.  It is a charming, picturesque place!  After breakfast, we boarded a bus for our “complimentary” tour of Mystras – after passing through modern Sparta, which was built on top of the ancient ruins (sadly).  Mystras is fascinating – the ruins of a Byzantine city dating back to 1250 AD – thought to be the best preserved Byzantine structures in the world.  The bus left us at the top of the upper city (no time to climb to the castle) and from there we headed DOWN – DOWN – DOWN over a tricky stone trail, visiting churches, the palace and a charming monastery along the way – with spectacular views of the valley.

            We returned to the ship at 1:00, then met Kathy and Tom to go to town in search of authentic Greek seafood for lunch – and we found it!  We were met by a lively young man who spoke some English and insisted his fish was fresh (he proved it by putting them right under my nose!) – so we ordered, and devoured, the tiny little lightly fried fish, batter-fried red mullet, freshly grilled calamari and grilled red snapper – all delicious, and accompanied by Greek salad, tzaziki (a delicious cucumber and yogurt dip), crusty bread, ouzo and retsina.  We will remember fondly the “Sea Tide”, and Tom’s delight in sampling this strange fare (video of the unusual lunch)!  After lunch we walked across the causeway to the island of Marathonisi, where it is said that Paris and Helen (Queen of Sparta) of the Iliad were said to have had a tryst – then through the charming little town and back to the ship at 5:00.  More tomorrow!…