2014 - AEGEAN ODYSSEY - SUMELA MONASTERY, Turkey

MY ORIGINAL INTENT FOR THESE CRUISES WAS TO VISIT THE BLACK SEA & THE CRIMEA IN PARTICULAR. I AM A FAN OF THE FLASHMAN SERIES & ONE OF THOSE BOOKS IS SET DURING THE CRIMEAN WAR. IN THE BOOK, FLASHMAN STARTED THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE. HE STARTLED HIS HORSE INTO BOLTING BY FARTING.

THE REST, AS THEY SAY, IS HISTORY.

I LOOKED AT WHERE THE SHIP WAS GOING BEFORE & AFTER THE BLACK SEA & DECIDED ON THE PRIOR SEGMENT AS IT HAD A LOT OF STOPS IN TURKEY.

THE CURRENT WAR IN UKRAINE FORCED V2A TO CANCEL SCHEDULED STOPS IN UKRAINE & RUSSIA, AND SUBSTITUTE ROMANIA & MORE STOPS IN GREECE. NOT TO MY LIKING AS I HAVE JUST COME FROM GREECE BUT ... WHAT THE HAY.

THE PRIOR LEG OF THIS CRUISE HAD 300 AND SOME PASSENGERS. RUMOUR HAS IT THAT, THANKS TO THE US STATE DEPARTMENT, THIS LEG HAS ONLY 150. APPARENTLY THE STATE DEPT. ISSUED AN ADVISORY ABOUT THE BLACK SEA & SO US CITIZENS COULD NOT GET INSURANCE COVERAGE.

HENCE - 150 PEOPLE DROPPED OUT.

THIS IS WHY I GET MOVED FROM MY INTERIOR, DECK FOUR, TINY, NOISY, COLD, SINGLE-BEDDED, SMALL SHOWERED, NO WINDOWED CABIN TO A DECK FIVE, LARGE, WINDOWED, LUXURY SHOWERED, DOUBLE BEDDED, COLD CABIN.

A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT .. BUT STILL TOO COLD.

ON WITH THE SHOW - AFTER A LOVELY DAY AT SEA, TODAY WE ARE PARKED IN TRABZON. WE WILL NOT SPEND ANY TIME HERE AS THE TOUR IS INLAND TO THE SUMELA MONASTERY.

YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THIS PLACE BY NAME BUT YOU WILL RECOGNISE IT, I THINK ...

THE BUS BRINGS US TO THE RESTAURANT / PEE STOP ,,, ANGELA POKES HER NOSE INTO THE TOILET JUST BEFORE GETTING TO THE RESTAURANT FOR A SECOND & POKES IT RIGHT OUT OF THERE.

WE HAVE TO CHANGE TO SMALLER BUSSES BECAUSE WE ARE GOING UP NARROW ROADS TO THIS SPOT .... PERCHED ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN.

THIS VIEW IS FROM THE RESTAURANT ,, AND - YES, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADING ...

THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH SPACE IN THE SMALLER BUSES FOR ME SO THEY LAID ON A CAR. VERY NICE.

WE STOP HALFWAY UP THE HILL FOR PHOTOS ...

YOU MAY BE WONDERING A FEW THINGS AT THIS POINT ...

THE BUSES DROP EVERYONE OFF AT A PARKING SPOT & WE START CLIMBING UP A PATH. QUITE STEEP & JUST DIRT, ROCKS & TREE ROOTS FOLLOWED BY SOME ACTUAL STEPS. LUCKILY THERE IS A RAIL BETWEEN US & THE DROP ...

FINALLY WE REACH THE TICKET OFFICE & HAVE A BREAK TO CATCH OUR BREATH.

AND - YES WE HAVE TO CLIMB THOSE STEPS & I BECOME PAINFULLY AWARE THAT WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN ...

NICE TREE ... PERHAPS I WILL STOP HERE AWHILE & WATCH IT GROW

THESE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA ..

I SEE ONE OF OUR GROUP HAS A PLASTER ON HER BROKEN LEG & CAN'T CHICKEN OUT NOW

A FRIENDLY GECKO. SOME OF MY FELLOW PASSENGERS MUST BE RELATED TO HIM - OR A MOUNTAIN GOAT.

OH MY LORD! - HAVING CLIMBED TO THE TOP, WE NOW HAVE TO TAKE THE STEPS DOWN THE OTHER SIDE TO THE BUILDINGS BELOW..

YOU CAN JUST MAKE OUT YOUNG LAYLA, HAVING A SNEAKY REST ...

THE MONKS OF THE MONASTERY PAINTED THE WALLS & CEILINGS OF THE BUILDINGS CUT INTO THE HILLSIDE ....

I KNOW WHY. IN THANKS FOR NOT FALLING OFF THE MOUNTAIN. I KNOW JUST HOW THEY FEEL.

SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT MY PAINT BOX...

A GOOD LOOK AROUND & LOOK UP TO SEE A MASS OF PEOPLE COMING DOWN. OR MAYBE STAYING UP THERE FOR THE VIEW.

I MANAGED TO GET ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE RESTAURANT IN ON PIECE & A WELL DESERVED GLASS OF TEA.

THIS PLACE IS AN ACROPOLIS BY ANOTHER NAME. I SHOILD HAVE GUESSED

MAN THAT WAS HARD WORK & A WONDER NO ONE WAS LEFT UP THERE. SOME OF THESE FOLKS HAVE WALKING STICKS. ONE HAS A CAST ON HER FOOT.

A CONSTANT WONDER TO ME ON THIS CRUISE HAS BEEN, HOW COME ALL THESE PEOPLE CAN BUILD SUCH AMAZING STRUCTURES IN SUCH AMAZING PLACES BUT THEY COULD NOT MAKE A DECENT PATH-WAY TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.

LITERALLY IN SOME CASES.

OH FOR A NICE DAY AT SEA ...