Aegean Cruise - Day 7

So as I said in my previous post, we ended up in Patmos and not in Santorini which was where the boat was supposed to go. We decided to get off and have a wander around anyway, so we got the tender boat at about eleven o'clock to Patmos Town. Apparently the island is where St John the Evangelist was exiled so there are a lot of things to do with that, and a lot of churches, and a lot of religious tat. We just wandered around the town, though, which was really pretty. We made friends with some cats and we bought some souvenirs. It was really hot. 

The four of us sat down in a cafe at about half past twelve and had cold drinks and pudding as we had had a big breakfast and didn't really need or want lunch. I had profiteroles filled with ice cream, which were delicious. We wandered a bit more and then got the tender back to the boat. We got back about 2pm. I had been wearing my Sprinkle of Glitter polka dot dress which as I've said before I absolutely love, but I think it might have seen its last summer. It's going a bit funny and has a hole in the neck which isn't really seen but is there. I've asked my mum to draft a pattern from it because I love the shape so much and really don't want to let it go! 

We went and sunbathed and swam for the rest of the day. It was the last swim so we made the best of it! It was lovely. Again we showered and changed and then went up on the Deck 10 to watch the boat sail out of Patmos. Someone took a lovely photo of the four of us but we are squinting in the sunshine! I took some photos of the pool deck from Deck 10 too which give a better view of the place. 

About 7pm we went down to the Glass House for tea. We had had drinks in there previously and had seen the food, so thought we would chance it for our last night. We shared some tapas and then had pizzas; I had vegetarian calzone which was really nice. We could see the sunset from the Glass House which was a real treat, just lovely. 

After we'd eaten we had another wander around the ship. The pool deck was really lovely by night, and the bar was open a bit later I think, so we had another drink out there. We also went through the Atrium again because there was stuff going on, but it was really loud and we didn't stay there. But it had been a really pleasant day, if a little different from what we had thought as we had been booked on a trip in Santorini!

In the evening I was wearing a Yours dress and old crop top jumper from New Look which is one of my favourite summer outfits. 

On the tender boat about 11am

It really was so beautiful

Wandering through town

I loved these bikes just hanging out

And this was one of the many cats we met

I liked this near one of the churches

Religious tat in a shop

Delicious profiteroles in a lovely cafe

I really liked this moped and had half a mind to steal it

Another of the cats we met!

In my Sprinkle of Glitter dress back in the cabin

The pool in the afternoon

Just as we sailed out of Patmos

The four of us on the sun deck just before we went to eat

This was on Deck 10, too

And this is looking down on to the pool area, isn't it so lovely?

The sunset from the Glass House

I think this was later on after we had eaten. I love the sea and being on it for a week is exactly my idea of fun

Back out on the pool deck at night

It was still so warm and lovely to be outside

There was a film showing on the pool deck again

And lastly, looking down into the Atrium while a whole load of things were going on!

Aegean Cruise - Day 6

On the Saturday of our holiday we were in Kusadasi in Turkey. We had talked about getting off the boat and going to Ephesus, because my mum and stepdad and I would have liked to see the Biblical stuff, but my stepdad's friend told him it's not very mobility friendly so we decided against it. Maybe in the future we'll get there, but we decided it wasn't a priority. So we stayed on the ship. My stepdad was feeling a lot better. 

We didn't do much all day! I think we had sandwiches again for lunch, and I had a banana daiquiri at about 1pm which was only okay. My stepdad was taking lots of photos from Deck 10 because there were good views all round the ship, but I hadn't actually been up there! Lee and I went inside to the coffee shop about 4pm again to get ourselves out of the sun, I'm really glad we did that a few times because it was nice! I had a macaron, too, and took some back for my mum and stepdad. They weren't free but they were only about a pound each so it was fine!

My mum and I had prosecco with raspberry liqueur in it which was delicious! Then we went back to the cabins to get showered and dressed for tea. Each previous night we had heard the bing bong of the ship announcement but hadn't heard the actual announcement because it was just outside in the corridors. But on this night, the captain broadcast into everyone's cabins. We were due to be in Santorini on Sunday - which the four of us were looking forward to - but the weather was stormy there apparently and the captain to decided to take us to Patmos instead! How do you even do that?? Do you just ring up Patmos?? We hadn't even heard of it, either, it was not on our Greek island radar at all! But we could go to Santorini at another point. It really didn't matter that much!

For tea, we went to Gallery 47, which was a free restaurant but you had to be dressed up for it. The literature kept saying that it was best to go there between 6 and 6.30 because they didn't do reservations and it got busy quickly. We felt that that was too early to eat, though, so we decided to go about 7pm and chance it, and if we couldn't get in we would go to the buffet restaurant. Lee and I got there just before 7pm and went straight in, there was no problem at all! My mum and stepdad were only a little bit behind us. 

There was plenty of choice and even quite a few vegetarian choices so I was happy. I went for caprese salad, aubergine parmigana, and a trio of tiramisu. It was all so yummy! We shared a bottle of wine which was lovely. Afterwards we went outside to look at the water and the moon for a little bit, and we had a couple of drinks outside too. It was warm, but dark. 

Finally we went inside to the atrium bar and I think I had another bellini before bed. It was a nice and relaxing day. In the evening I was wearing my dotted dress from Yours, it's a lovely dress for holidays and means I don't have to wear tights or anything underneath!

Sign from the ship

Banana daiquiri, which I thought was only okay so didn't have another one. My stepdad liked them, though, he had a few

Another day, more sunbathing and sitting in the shade

Looking down into the atrium again at 4pm. I really liked this area of the boat but I was glad our cabins were well away from it because it was loud and busy!

From the other side of the atrium

Another iced decaf latte which was really needed in the heat!

And a macaron

Prosecco with raspberry liqueur in - they didn't have blackcurrant liqueuer so this was a good stand in!

Caprese salad later on

Aubergine parmigiana which I took a chance on, but I really liked it

Trio of tiramisu - the original was the best one though

One of the ship photographers took this of Lee and I in Gallery 47 and we liked it so we bought a copy

Moon on the water, and an island or other that we were going past

Me against the railing outside, so you can see my dress better here

And finally, a bellini

Aegean Cruise - Day 5

On the Friday of our trip we were in Mykonos! When we started thinking about where we wanted to go, I decided I wanted to swim on a Greek island so that's why we decided on this cruise. We could have swam on any of the islands, probably, but there was a trip on this one which was a beach transfer, so that sounded ideal. It wasn't very expensive and it meant we didn't have to worry because we were with the group and on a coach. 

My stepdad didn't feel very well so he stayed on the boat. Lee and my mum and I got a tender to the shore at Mykonos Town and then met Kevin, the tour guide. He was half Greek and half Austrian and said he realised Kevin didn't sound like a very Greek name - well it doesn't sound like a very Austrian name either to be honest! We had to walk around the bay to the coaches and fortunately we took it slowly so I was fine. Then it was about half an hour drive to Elia beach. 

There is literally just a beach there and a cafe, and a whole load of nothing else. Mykonos in general seemed to be a whole load of nothing, actually, but the town itself was pretty. You could rent sunbeds on the beach but they were A HUNDRED EUROS FOR TWO so we very clearly decided against that. Lee doesn't like sea swimming so he didn't go in. My mum and I got settled on towels on the beach and then went in the water.

The waves were strong! I was surprised! The water was a gorgeous colour and nice and warm and clear too. I was wearing a bikini - because I knew we would be walking to the coaches I was wearing a bikini bra top that I got off Vinted recently. It was patterned and pretty. On the bottom I had the bottoms from a tankini set I have. They didn't match but oh well. I also then clearly had most of my body on display but I decided I just didn't care. Life's too short. Wear the bikini, swim in the sea. If anyone has a problem with it, it says more about them than it does about you. 

We swam for about an hour and then got out and dried off before joining Lee in the cafe for lunch. He was quite happy sitting there I think. I had Greek salad for lunch which was absolutely amazing - I would like to eat it again right now actually! I also had a very odd but very nice orange drink. 

My mum and I went back in the sea for a bit after lunch. It was just so beautiful and I am so pleased we did it. We had to meet up with the coach at about 2.45 so we both got dry before that. We got back to Mykonos town and then we could have gone straight back on the tender to the boat but the last tender was 5pm so we had time to wander around for a bit. We walked along the sea front and went into a few shops. Lee and I got tacky souvenirs like we like, and then we sat in a cafe. I had some ice cream and Lee had a chocolate fondant and my mum shared a bit of both of them. By this time it was just after 4pm so we got the tender back to the ship. 

Lee and I went swimming for a bit then before showering and changing as usual, and then we met up with my mum and stepdad in the buffet restaurant. My stepdad still wasn't feeling well so he just had some food and then went back to the cabin. Lee and my mum and I watched the sun set which was lovely and then went into the Squid and Anchor for some drinks. We ended up talking to four women from Barnsley, one of whome actually goes to our gym! It's a small world! 

It was a lovely day, I'm so happy I got to swim in such beautiful water. 

Somewhere on Mykonos, not sure where, but it was pretty!

A boat... and look at that sea

On the way to the beach across the island

My mum just as we were getting into the sea. The sand was quite coarse and rocky. I was wearing my Saltwaters the whole time and I was really glad I did!

Looking up the beach

My mum and I in the sea - Lee took this 

My odd orange soda!

And my amazing Greek salad. The brown bits on the edge were a hard olive oil flavoured bread, they were so good

Our ship tendered out to sea! I took this from the beach

I took this of myself because I knew I had caught the sun on my face. You can just about see my bikini top, it's some kind of floral print

Ice cream

And Lee's chocolate fondant which was yummy too

Watching the sunset from the pool deck on the boat, I think

It was pretty

And finally a couple of drinks in the pub - pornstar martinis... 

And some blue shit! (Love me a blue drink)