So we just got back last week from a little less than three week trip to Europe with my parents! We had a blast! We started out with a Mediterranean cruise leaving from Rome and going to Croatia, Corfu, Olympia, Santorini, and Athens, Greece, as well as Ephesus in Turkey and Sicily on the way back to Rome. We then traveled into the Tuscan countryside to hang out in Tuscany for a couple of days where we bathed in natural Roman bath hot springs, saw Siena and Florence and otherwise just relaxed. We then drove to Rome and spent a few days there exploring all that amazing city has to offer. We pretty much saw and did SOOO much I can’t even begin to tell you except that it was amazing. It was a bit of a challenge traveling with Ethan, but he did really well and charmed the pants off all the little old ladies on the cruise as well as all the little old Italian ladies in Italy! So he was our ticket to getting good treatment wherever we went!! So actually, maybe he made travel a little easier for us!! : ) And of course we had lots of help from the grandparents, so between the four of us, it was generally a breeze ( I say ‘generally’ after some time and distance from the 15 hr flight over and back…) But overall, we had a really great time and it is an experience we won’t ever forget! And now we can show Ethan pictures when he gets older and say “See, here you are at the Acropolis!” while he rolls his eyes at us!! But oh so fun…
Our little family on board the cruise ship
Our fam in the hall outside our deluxe suite that we got upgraded to
Ethan at the ruins of Ephesus in Turkey...the most amazing, well-preserved, ancient ruins I have ever seen. Absolutely incredible...
Ethan testing out the Turkish carpets for us…unfortunately, somehow we were convinced to purchase some of these beautiful carpets…I guess we all had “Sucker” written on our foreheads, and some people’s yearly salary later, the Haynes and Wilkinson families were the proud owners of seven, yes SEVEN, Turkish carpets!! (We only got two, I guess my dad had the bigger ’sucker’ plastered on his forehead…that and the bigger salary!!) But they were beautiful carpets and someday will be great family heirlooms (or at least that’s what Ephram told us!!)
So after we mortgaged our house for some carpets we have nowhere to put, the kind Turkish salespeople wanted to thank us for paying their years rent and treated us to a Turkish feast on their rooftop. It was actually kind of fun...
Dale and I get dolled up for the Captain's dinner. It was kind of fun to get dressed up a little and have a "night out", even though it was just a short walk down the hall!
Ethan enjoying the cruise food!
Ethan "dancing" on the rooftop of our restaurant in Santorini.
Our family in Tuscany...beautiful views in the background.
In a little town called Casa di Pari...the cutest, most deserted little Italian village in the hills of Tuscany. This is right down the street from our 'Tuscan villa' we stayed in that we LOVED. We were wishing we could stay there another week!
The natural hot springs and Roman baths we hung out in! Smelled like rotten eggs!!
Eating lunch at the Piazza in Siena.
At the fountains in the piazza in Siena.
In Florence, in front of the Ponte Vecchia.
Ethan playing at the Coloseum in Rome.
04/06/2009 at 4:31 pm Permalink
Loved the photos! I am so jealous but am happy to see that you enjoyed yourselves, plus you were able to enjoy time with your parents. Can’t believe that you are proud owners of some Turkish rugs…at least he took you all out for lunch! Thinking of you. Maybe the next family trip can be to Okinawa!!!
08/06/2009 at 11:38 pm Permalink
someday we’ll travel in the penthouse suite on a cruise….someday
Your guys’ pics look amazing! I hear there’s more, can’t wait to see them!
14/06/2009 at 4:52 pm Permalink
Hi Laura!
Nice summary and great pictures, but too many things to talk about. It’s always an incredible experience to “be there” in person and “first hand” to see historical and scenic vistas. Grand stuff!!
You probably didn’t have to make such a big deal about how big a sucker we were in Turkey! Anyway a truly great trip all the way around (excluding the flights, there and back). Also, I’m pretty sure that photo in front of the fountains is in Florence, not Siena.
Loved the travel…
Dad
14/06/2009 at 9:48 pm Permalink
Laura is right.
The fountain is in Siena!