Since we are spending today at sea, I thought this would be a good opportunity to talk a little about the Celebrity Equinox. The ship's inaugural season was 2009/2010, so we are fortunate to be cruising on a brand new ship. This huge vessel can accommodate 2,850 guests and has a crew of 1,120 from 68 different countries. The tonnage is 122,00, the length is 1,033 feet (longer than 3 football fields), it's beam is 121 feet and it's draught is only 27 feet.

I attended a special presentation by the ship's chief engineer who talked in detail about the construction and operation of the ship. It was built in Germany and its registry is in Malta. It is powered by 4 very large diesel engines that generate electricity for the engines and all other services on board. The boat is propelled and steered by two large electrical "Pods" - large propellers that hang under the rear of the ship. Then can spin 360 degrees and operate independently of each other. Therefore, no traditional crankshaft or rudder! The front of the ship has thrusters on each side to help when docking.


Karen O'Neil practicing her winning ways on board the Celebrity Equinox!

The ship has 16 deck's, all packed with great things to do. The Traditions of America Sojourners meet for dinner every night at the Silhouette Dining Room where we are treated to wonderful personal service with a four or five course meal. There are 9 other restaurants, cafes and bistros that offer various specialty meals. There are 15 different bars on board that are more than happy to fill your drink order. The ship has a basketball court, walking path, indoor & outdoor swimming pools & hot tubs. Many varied shops are open when at sea and of course the casino is available to try your luck. On the top deck is the Lawn Club - real grass grows there with a putting green, bocce ball, etc.


Deanne & Ruth Flinchbaugh "Ready to Eat"

Today the ship's culinary staff hosted a brunch for all on board. Carved ice figurines, fabulous decorative food displays and an enourmous variety of salads, entrees & desserts. They even had white & dark chocolate fountains to cover strawberries or anything else our creative minds and taste buds could stand.


Brunch line-up


Brunch desserts

After crossing the Ionian Sea we're now approaching the Straights of Messina once again at the southern tip of the Italian mainland. From there we head north to our final port of Naples.

Submitted by Ted Cramer

When I last wrote for the Blog, our ship was headed east, now we are traveling west. When I last wrote, we had visited only one port, now only one port remains. I guess I only write when we have a day at sea and time seems to slow down some.

It has been a great trip for Sue and me and our traveling companions. Times I hope will be repeated again and again as we travel to other world locations with our Traditions of America brothers and sisters. We have been entertained by singers and comedians on this trip. I had a singer remind me "that peace should begin with me". I had a comedian (in a serious, closing moment) tell me "don't worry about yesterday or tomorrow, live only for the moment". As I lie here pool side with the beautiful Mediterranean passing by, I am at peace, and what a moment.

Submitted by Mike Burkett

After the whirlwind of sightseeing over the past few days and our scheduled 9.5 hour tour to Naples and Pompeii tomorrow, this has been a welcome chance to relax. Of course, there's always something to do on the ship (just like at home!), so it's not a day of boredom.

Tonight was our last formal night, and the Silver Spring Sojourners met again before dinner for cocktails and pictures. Because it was the last formal night, we were treated to lobster for dinner and Baked Alaska for dessert. The restaurant staff parade finished the evening. A spectacular way to end a spectacular meal for sure.

Submitted by Louise Wasakenas

We woke this morning to discover that we are anchored in the center of a caldera from an ancient volcano along the cliffs of Santorini Island. The first traces of human activity on the island occurred around 3,000 B.C. The Phoenicians arrived around1635 B.C. followed by the Dorians, Venetians, Ottomans and most recently the Greeks. In 1956 a terrible earthquake destroyed entire villages along the cliffs, but they rebuilt and are flourishing with the arrival of many tourists since the 1970's. The volcano is still considered active and last erupted in 1950. There are about 14,000 permanent residents on the island and over 400 churches! I guess when you live on the side of a cliff with an active volcano in your backyard; you have a tendency to pray a lot!


Blue Roof church - village of Oia

Since the large cruise ships can't dock directly on the shoreline, all passengers wanting to go ashore must ride the tender. This group has bright sunshine about 300 days out of the year - unfortunately, we got one of the few days out of the year that it rains. Cloudy, with intermittent rain and very windy - which made the tender ride very interesting on the moderate sized waves. There is a port where our tours busses were waiting for us. The road snakes its way up the side of the 1,000 foot cliff with many switchbacks to make the journey possible. Santorini is known for having some of the oldest vineyards in the world, so of course we had to stop at a local winery and sample their product and take some great photos of the surrounding circular archipelago of islands. From here we traveled to the small town of Oia that sits on the northern tip of the island. We had free time to walk along the narrow cobblestone sidewalks and visit the shops and restaurants. The view from above at these cliff dwellings was quite stunning. Most of the churches have blue roofs which you can see in the attached picture. The western coast of the island slopes gently all the way to the Aegean Sea where the locals enjoy the black sand beaches.

The early residents of these islands settled on the very top of the cliffs as added security from the many pirates in the area. I guess the present residents live there because of the view. Recently, this island was rated by an American travel magazine as the most beautiful island on earth.


Homes on Cliffs

We leave the Aegean Sea tonight and spend the entire day tomorrow crossing the Mediterranean on our way to Naples/Pompeii, Italy. We will spend the entire day on Wednesday touring Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast near Naples.

Sojourners at the village of Oia, Santorini Island

Submitted by Ted Cramer

We docked at the island seaport of Rhodes, Greece this morning, just in time to meet our excursion bus. Two bronze deer on high pedestals guard the old harbor entrance. Rhodes is the furthest east I have ever been since it is south-east of our stop in Kusadasi, Turkey. This island has been an important trading center since the 7th Century BC - It's difficult to grasp the concept of a country's history spanning over 3,000 years! Our bus twisted along the narrow coast road with this walled city on our left and the Aegean Sea on our right. We travelled past many nice sandy beaches before climbing up the narrow, switchback roads to the top of the island where we visited an old monastery and the Church of the Virgin Mary, which worships in the Greek Orthodox faith. A tree lined walking path with the Stations of the Cross along the side led to a huge cross mounted high on the mountain that can be seen from most parts of the island.


Acropolis of Rhodes, Temple of Apollo

From there, we stopped at the Greek built Acropolis of Rhodes where we viewed the few remaining columns that mark the site of the Temple of Apollo. There are also ruins of an ancient gymnasium and coliseum in the area. Somewhere in this area was a large bronze statue called the Colossus of Rhodes - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Our tour guide pointed out that the statue was not at the harbor entrance as depicted by many tourist promoters. Rhodes is only about 15 miles across the Aegean Sea from the mainland of Turkey, putting it in a very strategic location where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. Because of this, many different cultures and nationalities have inhabited the area - from the ancient Greeks, to the Romans, Ottoman Turks, Byzantines, Genovese, Venetians, Italians, Germans and British. The city still reflects these many cultures and religions in their various churches and Turkish mosques. Greece took control of the island from the Germans after WWII.


Walled city of Rhodes

In 1309, the Knights of the Order of St. John took the city and built fortifications with wealth inherited from the Templar’s. The old part of the city still has the walls all the way around, with triple moats in some areas. The view of the city from the Equinox is quite impressive. The old city has many narrow streets with shops, homes, churches, mosques, and palm trees everywhere. The temperature in this area never gets below freezing and the many red hibiscus blooms help beautify the area.

Inside old city - shopping district

We really enjoyed our stay on this wonderful island - we're off to see the Greek Island of Santorini tomorrow.

Submitted by Ted Cramer

As an alternative to Athens, which we had seen before, we booked a tour to the ancient seaport of Corinth, about 1.25 hours from the port of Piraeus. The modern seaport of Corinth is still very active. As a result, limited excavation and reconstruction of ancient structures has taken place. There were fewer ruins available than several of the other parts of this cruise.

We did however enjoy a boat ride on the Corinth Canal, 4 miles long across the peninsula connecting the Aegean and Ionian Seas.

Submitted by Bob & Kathie Bittenbender

The Sojourners in the old city of Rhodes:
Cobblestones & complete walls all the way around the city!

Athens, Greece is one of the world's oldest cities, with a history spanning over 3,000 years!

Another quick breakfast then off to the tour bus today. Very dark clouds on the horizon brought us the only rain we've felt on the entire cruise. It only lasted about one hour this morning. Of course the local street merchants took quick advantage of selling umbrellas for only 5 Euros each! Also, there are stray dogs everywhere in Athens - two of them accompanied us on our entire walking tour! We were told in advance that many of the venues along our expected tour would be closed because of the strikes that are occurring in this ancient city. I was surprised to discover that Athens and surrounding area have a population of over 5 million people and they all live in apartments! Where's the Traditions of America in Athens? I guess that would be Traditions of Greece here!


Acropolis & Parthenon

The Golden age of Athens, Greece occurred 500 years before the birth of Christ! We could see many ruins throughout the city, but they are surrounded by crowded streets & traffic. The Acropolis and the Parthenon were visible from a distance and we managed to take a few photos, but because of the strike we weren't able to climb to the top. I'm satisfied that I got to see the Parthenon even if I couldn't get close. Just outside the entrance to the Acropolis is the Mars Hill. This is where the first Christian Church in Athens was built and where the Apostle Paul preached. We all traveled a long way to experience Athens and we did get to see some of the major landmarks. We made a stop at the Olympic Stadium constructed in 1896, for the first Olympics of the Modern era. We also saw Hadrian's Arch, the Roman Columns, the Theater of Dionysus, the ancient Parliament ruins and a general tour of the contemporary government center of Greece.


Group shot with Parthenon & Acropolis in background:
Left to right: Kathie Sundberg, Arnie Sundberg, Sue Burkett, Mike Burkett, Cindy Cramer

I haven't talked about our evening entertainment on the Celebrity Equinox. Every night after dinner there is a show in the main theater (seating about 1500 guests) featuring a different act each night. We've had some great singers, dancers, acrobats and a comedy/magical act that was very entertaining. Tonight they are putting on a Broadway Review with the ship's jazz band playing all the background music.


Equinox Theater:
Back Row: Deane & Ruth Flinchbaugh, Phil & Jeannete Fogerty, Kathie & Bob Bittenbender Front Row: Cindy Cramer, Arnie & Kathie Sundberg, Sue & Mike Burkett

We depart for the island of Rhodes tonight at 6:00. Since that is still in Greece, some of our shore excursions have been changed. We seem to have fun wherever we go!

A Poem by Phil Fogerty 10/15/11

Through the straights of Messina

Across many calm seas

First Mykonos, then Ephesus in Turkey, before Athens please

Many days of perfect weather

Now some Athenian rain.

Look excursions are changing

Ah Democracy!

But we're among the Greek poets

And there is still much to see

Such a delightful adventure

With our good new friends

It's time to plan another

We must do this again.

Question of the day:

What temperatures have you been experiencing?:

Until today, the temperatures have been in the mid to high 70's with total sunshine.  Today in Athens, we have total clouds,  a short downpoor this morning with a high of 73 degrees.  Overall great weather so far!

We woke up early on Friday morning at the port of Kusadasi on the west coast of Turkey. Quite a busy town of 50,000 residents plus the 12,000+ tourists from 4 cruise ships sitting in the harbor. The Equinox offered an express breakfast so we could get ashore by 7:30 AM to catch the tour bus. The Cramers & the Flinchbaughs took the tour titled: "Best of Ephesus". Our first stop was at the House of the Virgin Mary.  She was in exile in this area, fearing for her life after Jesus was crucified. The Apostle John spent time here taking care of Mary.  His rumored burial place is here close to the Basilica of St. John.  After going through Mary's house, we were all given an urn to take home Holy Water.  This was quite a moving experience.


Ephesus Grand Theater

From the House of the Virgin Mary, we traveled to the ancient city of Ephesus which is one of the most fascinating archeological sites on the eastern Mediterranean.  Within this ancient city are the remains of one of the most important cities in the early Greek empire which then grew to be the second largest city in the Roman Empire. The Arcadian Way was the marble street that led from the seaport to the heart of the city. The Temple of Hadrian, the Celsus Library, the Marble Way and the Fountain of Trajan are under constant restoration.  Only 25% of the city has been restored since it was found buried where a railroad was being constructed in the 1870's. The Apostle Paul lived & taught here during his many travels while spreading the Gospel.  Ted climbed to the 25,000 seat amphitheater and stood where Paul gave one of his famous speeches to the Ephesians. Since the entire amphitheater is made of marble, I'm sure the listeners hoped for a short Sermon!


Ted leaning on Library pillar

As you enter the ancient city, the gymnasium and Roman baths are on the right. The Romans wanted all travelers to wash the dirt & disease off before entering the city. Underground clay pipes fed by aqueducts from the hills provided all the running water. Next were some high end merchants and a small indoor amphitheater used by the government leaders and politicians of the day. The next section was for education and the arts - where the Celsus library is located. Also the public restrooms are located close to that area - just a hole cut in the stone with running water in front to wash up & running water underneath to flush away the waste. Of course there was a brothel close to this area too! After passing through a 3 arch gate you come to the area where the merchants had set up their shops with all the items needed to keep the population supplied with goods and services. On the way out of town was the coliseum which has not been restored. Cleopatra and Marc Anthony were also visitors to this ancient city - but their cruise ship wasn't quite like ours!


Celcus Library

Never in our wildest dreams did we ever expect to visit this ancient city or actually set foot in the country of Turkey! Of course, we couldn't leave town without visiting a store making and selling genuine, handmade Turkish rugs. Rugs made of cotton; wool and pure silk were beautiful. They even offered to ship the rugs at no extra cost! We leave port tonight at 6:00 traveling 192 nautical miles to Athens, Greece.

Submitted by Ted & Cindy Cramer - Oct. 14, 2011
 

Our day began with dawn in Kusadasi, Turkey. A short while later, we boarded our bus for the ancient city of Ephesus. Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us great insights into the life of the city several hundred years before Christ. Among the ancient ruins we passed were marketplaces, temples, homes for the wealthy, fountains, baths and the library. Imagine chariots being driven along a marble street more than 2,000 years ago, or performers in the Grand Theater being heard by 24,000 people without the need to raise their voices.


The Marble streets as mentioned above

From the ruins, we visited the House of Virgin Mary and the Basilica of St. John, which was built over his burial site, and the museum that houses many of the artifacts from the ruins.

Then we were treated to local Turkish delicacies for lunch at the Aqua Fantasy Hotel, a beautiful resort. We all came away agreeing that Turkish food is delicious.

Lunch over; we made our last stop at a carpet weaving company to see how those beautiful double-knotted Turkish carpets are made. And, no, they don't fly!


The Silver Spring Sojourners in front of the Celcus Library

We bade farewell to Turkey as our ship pulled out of port at dusk, off to Athens.

Submitted by Louise & Bob Wasekanes 10-14-11
 

Friday the 14th was Pilgrimage day, at Ephesus, Turkey. In true Pilgrimage mode, we arose early, were fed an express breakfast of OJ, baked goods, eggs, bacon, sausage and coffee. We then rumbled down the gang plank, past some welcoming Turkish dancers accompanied by a funny looking thing and an accordion, and onto a bus. The bus took us up a mountain road and we visited the Virgin Mary's Home, where we each filled a little earthenware jug of Holy Water. Coming down the mountain, we saw St. John's church and passed an amphitheater where the Apostle Paul spoke. Thus ended the Pilgrimage.

Following a stop at a 4-story Turkish Rug store, we returned to the influence of our great Captain. The transition to modern cruise ship ambiance was easy to take.

Submitted by Deane & Ruth Flinchbaugh 10-14-11

We arrived in Mykonos, Greece!  We all will be looking for 'pelicans'...the official symbol of Mykanos!

"Tender" and "White" might best describe our visit to the island of Mykonos on Thursday, October 13th. We left the big White Equinox some distance from shore and were Tendered to Mykonos by a White-shirted tender crew who expertly carried us to the island of exclusively White homes, White food establishments, and White jewelry shops. Then too, we enjoyed the town mascot, a large White pelican, very tame, and Tender to the tourists. Many White churches and four White windmills rounded out the seascape.

After a few pleasant hours in town, our White-shirted Tender crew returned us to the big White Equinox where we gathered at nice White tables for lunch in the cafe. The variety of dishes prepared for our culinary consumption by White-shirted chefs and waiters brought back tender thoughts of our Traditions Of America Pot Luck Suppers, served on White table cloths in the Silver Spring Clubhouse. It's so nice to have our Traditions Of America friends and neighbors with us. At the same time, we share Tender thoughts about our neighbors in Mechanicsburg. This short posting was Tenderly crafted on White paper using a White Celebrity Cruise Line pen!

Submitted by Dean & Ruth Flinchbaugh

Katie, Bob, Mike & Sue went to the Island of Delos. Here we are sitting in front of the ruins in the city that housed the Temple to Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. 

The marble lions of Delos guarded the sacred lake where they were born.

Submitted by Bob & Kathie Bittenbender.

Our First Formal Night.

Sunrise was on schedule today, but for us who continue to travel east, it came one hour earlier than yesterday. We and our 2,850 other guests on the 1033 foot, 122,000 ton Celebrity Equinox continue to enjoy clear skies and mild temps. I takes approximately 1,200 crew from 68 different countries to keep this floating city operational - from the Captain to the chefs to the entertainers - they all work to make our experience fun and relaxing.

Today was a day at sea and we proudly wore our "Silver Spring Sojourners 2011 Cruise" T-shirts. We got lots of "looks" from other passengers as they tried to figure out what this group, that was having way too much fun, was all about.

Activities abound on the Equinox and tough decisions had to be made. For some it was balancing pool deck time with wine tasting and the Captain's party for returning cruisers. Various activities that we experienced today were: Tour of the Galley while they prepared lunch & dinner, attending a seminar that explained all of the technical aspects of the ship - what? No driveshaft? No rudder? Amazing! Some attended a seminar on future cruise opportunities while others just relaxed on the deck or enjoyed the pool and hot tub. There is a rumor that some time & money was spent in the Casino - Imagine that! This ship actually has real grass growing on the upper deck - there might some Traditions of America Bocce Ball played later in the week - on the grass! After dinner there is always a live show with a different act each night - quite entertaining.

Regardless of the different paths we took today, we did all have lunch and dinner together as a group. Tonight was our first formal dinner. Tomorrow we will dock and tour the island of Mykonos, Greece.

Traditions of America Sojourners Sailing to the Greek Island of Mykonos - sporting our Sojourner t-shirts!

There is always time for $hopping! We are taking advantage of the “Onboard Shops”! From left: Karen O'Neil, Cindy Cramer, Judy Vandenburgh

Mike & Sue Burkett

Happy Columbus Day from the Silver Spring Sojourners. Today is a day at sea - after climbing around Volcanic Mt. Etna on the island of Sicily, we needed some "Ship Time" to dust off the lava from our hike around and into several volcanic craters. Our itinerary has been modified because of a two day general strike in Athens (which was supposed to be our stop on Thursday). Instead we will be doking at Mykonos and will be visiting Athens on Saturday. The Mediterranean Sea is calm; none of the Sojourners have contracted sea sickness and we are all looking forward to the next full week of crusing! We passed through another time zone last night, so we are now 7 hours ahead of you!

Arnie & Kathie Sundberg - Silver Spring Sojourners

Today we visited Messina, the Gateway to Sicily. At the opening of the port is a votive column bearing a statue of the Madonna of the Letter, patron saint of Messina. Legend has it that she sent a letter to the inhabitants, the verses of which are written on the tower of the ancient San Salvatore fort: "Vos et ipsam civitatem benedictimus." (I bless you and your city.)

Messina has a history rich in Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Norman cultures. It has been destroyed by earthquakes and war and has been rebuilt each time.

A highlight of our tour was the Bell Tower in the Piazza del Duomo next to the Cathedral. It houses the mechanism to a wonderful astronimical clock, which at noon every day comes alive with a lion who roars, wags his tail and shakes his head; a rooster who flaps his wings and crows; and the figures of Dina and Clemenza, heroines of Messina, who chime the hours. Depictions of the Madonna and the Messina Assembly receiving her letter; a dove circling the Apostles on Pentecost; the Montalto Church; figurines representing the four stages of life - infancy, adolescence, maturity and old age - passing by; and seven pagan carts which change daily complete the movements during the 10 minute event.

Louise & Bob Wasekanes

Hello from Italy!  We made it!  The flight from Harrisburg to Chicago was great - waited for our boarding time & discovered that our plane had a broken altimeter!  But, after a 2 hour delay, they found another plane, moved all our luggage & off we went.  We're now all on board and have enjoyed a great lunch.  We're a bit tired since we are 6 hours ahead of our normal time zone. The Celebrity Equinox leaves port at 5:00 Rome time. 

We'll wake up tomorrow at Messina in Sicily!  The Traditions of America Sojourners are having a great time!

Ted  & Cindy Cramer

Traditions of America at Silver Spring cruisers "leavin' on a jet plane" to Rome and the Mediterranean from Harrisburg International Airport.

As we prepare for our flight & Mediterranean Cruise, we marvel at the opportunity to travel with our new friends at Traditions Of America at Silver Spring. We have only lived here for 16 months and now we're traveling half way across the world with our neighbors! 

Our biggest anxiety at the moment is the unrest in Greece. We've been looking forward to visiting Athens and some of the other Greek islands, but there is much turmoil in that part of the world due to the European economy.

Our bags are packed, passports ready and we even have some sunshine as we prepare for departure - can't wait!

Ted & Cindy Cramer

Equinox Ship Itinerary: Changes have been made to this Itinerary due to issues in Greece.