We wanted it to be relaxing, unique, and memorable and we both agree that it was those things and much more. The flights over and back were challenging since neither of us fare well in terms of rest on airplanes and we seemed to be running from one end of the terminal to the other to catch our flights (which ended up being delayed each time we ran) however once we arrived in Venice all the jet lag quickly subsided as we got to witness a place that seemed as though it was part of a different planet. To say Venice is beautiful is to say that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are a decent looking couple. 
We arrived on a Sunday and the streets were rather empty which allowed us to relax and see things at our leisure. Then we headed onto our Royal Carribean cruise ship known as Splendour of the Seas and it was defintely a beast of a ship (the largest in the port by far). We got to our cabin (which was very nice) and then got to spend time enjoying all the amenities of a cruise ship (access to tons of food, great lounging areas, and nice entertainment).Our first port was Athens, Greece
and, while not our favorite port, it definitely possessed history and the biggest thrill was being able to stand in a place that was at one time the pillar of civilization. Tourism officials didn't allow anybody to get too close to the ruins, however standing on the Acropolis you could close your eyes and allow your mind's eye to see what the Romans must have seen. The rest of Athens was fairly pedestrian however we enjoyed the historical aspects of the city.Next we went to our favorite port which, surprisingly, was Kusadasi, Turkey. Turkey has a very rich history dating back almost 10,000 years, however due to several social and political factors (Middle East anyone?) the
Turks are still in the early process of discovering everything. Our guide presented a very engaging portrait of the historical ruins of Ephesus which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was even more enjoyable due to the fact that you could actually explore the ruins coupled with an intriguing reenactment show that demonstrated what life was like for the port city during Roman times. Turkey's religious tolerance was fascinating given that their neighbors don't necessarily share that viewpoint. To illustrate that fact we stopped near a museum and up on a hill there was a Jewish temple, Christian church, and Muslim mosque within three feet of one another.Our next two stops were two beautiful and relatively large Greek Islands (according to our cruise director there are roughly 500 Greek Islands of varying sizes in the Meditteranean). First we had a short 5 hour stop in Crete where we enjoyed our "beach day" and relaxed on a clothing optional beach (no we didn't take our clothes off however there were people that did whom we both wished hadn't but that's another story).
Next stop was Corfu, Greece
which is known for its lush greenery and mountains. It ranked a close second behind Turkey as our favorite spot. The scenery was amazing and I thoroughly tipped our bus driver who was able to navigate us through extremely narrow cobblestone streets (I don't know how a Yugo could get through those streets let alone a Greyhound-style bus). The best way to picture Corfu is to close your eyes and picture that you are in a Lord of the Rings movie. It really has a mythic quality to it and you definitely feel as though you have stepped back in time at various spots.Overall we enjoyed the ports and the cruise ship. The greatest takeaway from our trip is that it relaxed us, gave us great memories, and allowed us to experience something special together. Now we turn our focus onto preparing for parenthood. Both of us realize that will be our greatest adventure and we both are willing and excited about the journey ahead.
