Middle Aged Drama Queen's Eastern Med Review: Serenade, Pics, Surprises & Fun!

[MORcrzr]

Sherri,

 

Do you realize the review has taken 6 days longer than the cruise?

 

:D:D:D:D:D:D

Edited July 29, 2012 by MORcrzr
More smiles :)

[AF-1]

Sherri, I am enjoying your review. I was in Santorini in 07, when the ship hit the rocks. I see nothing has changed since 07. OIA looks excatly the same. I also know you guys were lucky, as you had a few ships in port. We had six in port. Three regular, and three unscheduled; the unscheduled were supposed to go to Mykonos; but they could not get in because of high winds; go figure.

[KansCocoa]

Oh no! Done for tonight? Your review is getting better and better. And I love the white sheet family photos, too (and I never even saw the old lady hat in the Athens picture -- just saw an attractive, happy family with a fabulous backdrop!).

 

As the other poster asked, just the names of all the tour companies you used would be helpful. I think I've missed a couple of links. And while I love your review, I really didn't want to have to go back through it again...:o:D

 

Thanks, Joan! You're too kind! ;)

 

I will put all of the companies I used at the end of the review - so that should help! :)

[KansCocoa]

I can't wait for more, we will be in santorini in September and will be renting a car just my husband myself, can we stop at this little shop.

 

I'm dying to find out where you end up eating.

 

I also want to mention that you do reminder me of Stephanie plum. I have read all 18 books and loved everyone one. Thank you so much for all the time you awe putting into this.

 

Mary

 

Thanks, Mary - I hope you're able to find this shop...I have Anna's business card, and it doesn't list an address...just what I posted above...maybe the locals would be able to give you directions...

 

And I LOVE Stephanie Plum! :)

[KansCocoa]

Have really enjoyed reading your review. I do reviews like this after all of our cruises and I know how time consuming and exhausting it is......so thank you! But it's worth it in the end.

We are just back from a Med cruise ourselves.....the jet lag is killing me. I hope to start on my review this afternoon. We also used rominlimo in Rome and Florence......great experience.

Will look forward to your conclusion. By the way.....the Serenade is our absolute favorite ship!

 

OMG, I LOVE your reviews! I can't wait to see your review of the Med - as I've always enjoyed your other reviews! I'm glad you had a good time with RomeInLimo, as well - they're a class act!

 

Hope you recover from your jet lag...it takes awhile, for sure!

[KansCocoa]

Hi Maxs Mom, I was on the same cruise with you on Allure of the Seas with my granddaughter. Just came back from Oasis with my grandson and also had a great time. Looking forward to reading your review on the med trip. Sherri, Thank you for sharing your travel adventures. Enjoyed reading about your experieces and family. When I get back to greece I must check that roadside stand in OIa. Sounds wonderful.

 

I hope you can FIND that roadside stand! It's kinda' out there...somewhere... !

[KansCocoa]

I am enjoying your Santorini photos! We are booked with Dimitirus for our stop there on September 15:)

 

Awesome - I can't wait to hear about YOUR trip!!!! Be sure to come back and let us know - make sure he takes you to Anna's stand!

[KansCocoa]

Sherri,

 

Do you realize the review has taken 6 days longer than the cruise?

 

:D:D:D:

 

Hee hee...I'm doing my European review the EUROPEAN way...not in a rush... because good things take time...if it can take over 130 years to construct the La Sagrada Familia, and over 600 years to build a temple...my review is surely good for a hundred years or so.

 

:D:D:D:

[KansCocoa]

Sherri, I am enjoying your review. I was in Santorini in 07, when the ship hit the rocks. I see nothing has changed since 07. OIA looks excatly the same. I also know you guys were lucky, as you had a few ships in port. We had six in port. Three regular, and three unscheduled; the unscheduled were supposed to go to Mykonos; but they could not get in because of high winds; go figure.

 

Hee hee...high winds. I KNOW what this is, for sure! I thought at one point, we'd get blown off the cliff....!!!

 

Wow - I guess we WERE lucky with our nearly-deserted visit to Oia...it really allowed us to walk slowly and just smell the roses... :)

[KansCocoa]

 

So, when we last left our travelers, they were wining and dining at an impromptu Grecian Tapas Party on the side of the road, in the boonies of Santorini….

 

As we’re enjoying our honey-covered pine nuts, I decide to walk around outside Anna’s shop and check out the scenery…as I was outside, some workers came around with a tray of the famous sundried tomatoes:

 

 

Huh. Who’d have thunk that sun-dried tomatoes are actually…dried in the sun????!! I never knew that. (Can you tell I’m a city girl??!!)

 

 

 

While admiring the pretty tomatoes, the next thing I know, a shot glass of some unidentifiable clear liquid is thrust into my hand, and a commanding voice says, “Drink.”

 

So I drink.

 

 

“HOLY MACARONI – WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT????!!!!”

 

 

“Ouzo,” Dimitrius says, with a grin on his face.

 

Well. I’ve never had ouzo before…and so my first experience of drinking liquid fire was at a little roadside stand in the boonies of Santorini. Certainly something I'll never forget.

 

Anna has been so hospitable, that we all make some purchases to take home with us. For us, it was NOT the ouzo, but a little jar of the blackberry jam. Dimitrius walks away with a HUGE bag of those pretty tomatoes, as well as a litre of ouzo. There will be a PARTY tonight at Dimitrius's house!!! We say our goodbyes to Anna with much hugging and kissing and waving; she’s been a true delight.

 

Goodbye, Anna! Until next time - save some of those honey-covered pine nuts for me!

 

 

After leaving Anna’s, Dimitrius announces that it’s time for lunch. Wait. What? Didn’t we just HAVE lunch? At Anna’s? Seriously, we had eaten quite a bit, and none of us were all that hungry…but we’re amenable to Dimitrius’s plans, and off we go.

 

He takes us to a little café called “The Dolphins” – a small, traditional tavern on the shores of Akrotiri Beach. You enter through the arch, and then go down some very steep stairs to the actual dining area – so it can be a bit tricky to find.

 

Go through the arch...down the stairs...you can't miss it.

 

 

We’re seated at a table that’s about 10 feet from the water, giving us a delightful view of the sea…as well as a delicious sea breeze that cools us down.

 

Sorry...not much light...not a good photo, I realize that...but the only one I had to show how close we are to the water's edge....

 

 

The menus are presented, and this is where the problem began. It's a traditional tavern...with traditional Greek food. We don’t really understand much of the menu…and it is pretty much 100% seafood (and since it sits on a beach, this makes total sense.) The Klingons absolutely hate seafood. I’ve NEVER been able to get them to partake in seafood, no matter how hard I’ve tried over the years….so…they struggle with finding something to order on the menu. We're also not that hungry...so we decide to order off the appetizer menu, and continue our tradition of tapas....

 

As we wait for the food, the adults entertain themselves by studying the map of Santorini that was on our tablecloth…

 

Exciting stuff, hey?

 

 

...but the Klingons had a much BETTER way of killing time before the food arrived....

 

Edited July 29, 2012 by KansCocoa

[KansCocoa]

The Klingons aren’t dumb. When they’re on a beach…and they see water a mere ten feet away…by golly, they’re going to take advantage of the situation and get in the water!

 

 

 

 

The younger Klingons are the first to take the plunge. Well. Not exactly a plunge. We didn’t bring swimming clothes, much to our regret, so the best they could do was walk in a bit and feel the deliciously cool water.

 

Soon, Brad had to join them:

 

 

 

Hubby Mike, not wanting the Klingons to have all of the fun, decided that he, too, had to get his feet wet:

 

 

 

As you can see, this is a very rocky beach – as volcanic beaches are prone to be…so if you go to Akritori Beach, be sure to have some good water shoes, as you probably won’t be going in barefoot.

 

Our food came out in waves…the first to arrive was what the younger Klingons ordered:

 

 

 

Yes. That’s Taylor eating a chocolate brownie. For lunch. I’m the bad Mom who let both Taylor and Mickey have chocolate brownies for lunch, because it was just easier that way. If I get turned into the Food Police and Bad Mom Police for this transgression, I will plead temporary insanity from the hot Grecian sun…or perhaps it was the effects that the ouzo was still having with my system….?

 

Although they also got a plate of french fries, which helped assuage my Mama guilt a bit....

 

After the delightful fried feta cheese that I’d partaken of in Athens, I was delighted to see fried feta cheese on the menu here. I had to try some again. Soon, this was delivered to our table:

 

 

 

Huh. What IS that? It certainly didn’t LOOK like the fried feta cheese of Athens… we all looked at each other, wondering first, what the heck this was, and secondly, who had ordered it.

 

"What IS it?" we were asking...

 

"I have NO idea" we were all answering.

 

"Who ordered it???!" was the next question.

 

Cries of “Not me” could be heard around the table, interspersed with, “YOU try it.” “No, YOU try it.” “I’m not trying it until I know what it IS!” It wasn’t until we tracked down a passing waiter much later that we learned that this was, indeed, the “fried” feta cheese. Okay. Looked like “melted” feta cheese to me, but whatever. Unfortunately, it looked like it was swimming in oil, and because my gallbladder issues prevent me from enjoying oil, I had to push this aside. Hubby Mike declared it very tasty, though – an FYI.

 

If you’re all worried and concerned that I didn’t get to eat (and isn’t that kind of you? To be worried about me?), well, don’t worry. I DID eat. I had also ordered some calamari – and here it was:

 

 

 

I had no doubt what this was when it was delivered...the little tentacles gave it away. However…as much as I love calamari…I can’t eat it when it looks…all tentacly...(is that a word??!!) I picked and flicked around it, managing to eat some of the pieces that weren’t so…tentacly…and declared it quite delicious. Hubby Mike ate the rest (since the Klingons wouldn’t touch this if their lives depended on it.)

 

Now…it was Cathy’s dish that got the most attention from our group….

 

[jessicalorene]

The food all looks incredible Sherri ... especially those sun dried tomatoes (one of my personal favs)

[jessicalorene]

Thanks, Joan! You're too kind! ;)

 

I will put all of the companies I used at the end of the review - so that should help! :)

 

That would be very helpful thank you so much Sherri !

[dacsmom]

Just started my cruise binder today for our Freedom cruise in Feb., thanks for the tip.

[boat nurse]

Sherri, the photo of you taking the shot of ouzo is priceless! Bet the klingons are still teasing you about that! Never had ouzo but think it is similar to Sambuca? I'll drink to that! ;)

[suehal]

I've been reading your review for hours! Thanks for filling my rainy Sunday afternon and evening with your wonderful review. It's definitly making me re-think my next cruise, my little klingons would certainly enjoy Europe the way you've described it.

[agathasmum]

I have soooooo enjoyed reading this review!

 

You remind me of myself, the uber-organiser when it comes to booking, printing and filing the cruise stuff. but crappo when it comes to remembering where you put it ;)

 

Love the Klingons too... but only because they aren't mine..... I unfortunately travel with a little bleeder, literally.... her nose has bled, no, I correct myself, her nose has gushed everywhere we have taken her. I swear that child has left her DNA on 4 continents!

 

Looking forward to the rest of your cruise and would love to travel with a celeb like you one day!

[FloGaleRNTX]

More, please :)

[rubrrick]

Sherri........what a wonderful afternoon of reading. Hope you found the way to the whore houses in Ephesus, the oldest in Turkey.....say some!

 

Also, on Santorini, did you come across some diggings of a lost city......thought maybe to be Atlantis?

 

Your style of writing really sets you apart, and it's extremely enjoyable, humorus.......and carries a style all of it's own.

 

Some put your writing with Trainman, or Sailor Jack...........but you write so eloquently, with your own style of penmenship.............it's different, so just keep it up!

 

We have been so fortunate to have seen so many of the same sights, and one that we keep going back to, and having stayed there on two occasions overnight......is Eze, in the owners suite of the Chateau Eza.

 

Nothing has blown us away more than being served breakfast on our balcony, overlooking the Med, from so high above.

 

I'm looking forward to hearing about your next cruise, already accomplished, I believe you said the Freedom!

 

If we could find a cabin for you......we would love to have you join us on our Jewel TA, coming up in about 32 days, as the blogger!!:D

 

Rick

 

PS.......oh, by the way........we love KC and have friends that live in the Village of Loch Lloyd!

Edited July 30, 2012 by rubrrick

[Newtoncruise]

How cool......a job offer as a travel blogger........you just got what you wished for.......

 

Btw. I love your review........your ability to engage us in ordinary day to day experiences in such descriptive detail is wonderful.

[jtagphillycruiser]

I'm caught up on your review & keep checking for your next installment. I can't wait. This is the best review I have read on CC & thank you for all the time and effort you have put into it....so, now what's next...?????

[TOlson70]

Great review! Wish I was going on a Med Cruise!

[FloGaleRNTX]

More, please:)

 

Barbara

[rmurray847]

Welcome! What follows will be a short trip report of our 12-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise on the beautiful Serenade of the Seas….

 

I turned 50 years old the day before we left for this adventure, and it took me almost the entire 396 days to come to terms with the fact that I was turning a half-century old and would now be AARP-eligible, but I finally accepted it, embraced it, and celebrated it to the max on this cruise.

I just remembered you had posted this way back on your first post for this cruise (about a generation ago). My wife turns 50 on the day we're flying to Barcelona to embark on the WESTERN Med Cruise on the Serenade. I hope we have great adventures like you, perhaps without the alarm going off in the Accademia.

[mchcruiser1000]

If you’re all worried and concerned that I didn’t get to eat (and isn’t that kind of you? To be worried about me?), well, don’t worry. I DID eat. I had also ordered some calamari – and here it was:

 

 

 

I had no doubt what this was when it was delivered...the little tentacles gave it away. However…as much as I love calamari…I can’t eat it when it looks…all tentacly...(is that a word??!!) I picked and flicked around it, managing to eat some of the pieces that weren’t so…tentacly…and declared it quite delicious. Hubby Mike ate the rest (since the Klingons wouldn’t touch this if their lives depended on it.)

 

Now…it was Cathy’s dish that got the most attention from our group….

 

 

But Sherri, the squid fries (tentacles) are the best part. I lived on Crete for 18 months in my long past youth and practically lived on fried cheese, calamari, and Greek wine. Greek calimari is still my favorite.

 

Myron