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My October Holiday

Been to someplace of historical interest? Planning a trip? Have a question? Post here!
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Telynor
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My October Holiday

Post by Telynor » Tue September 1st, 2009, 1:06 am

Planning a cruise to the Eastern Mediterrean. I'll only have a day or two in each port, so it's more of a 'hit the highlights' sort of thing (I know, I know...). Here's the cities where I am going:

Rome
Athens
Rhodes
Ephesus
Alexandria
Ashdod
Haifa
Naples
Rome

So any ideas or suggestions are very welcome!

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Susan
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Post by Susan » Tue September 1st, 2009, 2:30 am

[quote=""Telynor""]Planning a cruise to the Eastern Mediterrean. I'll only have a day or two in each port, so it's more of a 'hit the highlights' sort of thing (I know, I know...). Here's the cities where I am going:

Rome
Athens
Rhodes
Ephesus
Alexandria
Ashdod
Haifa
Naples
Rome

So any ideas or suggestions are very welcome![/quote]

Sounds really nice! I've never been to any of those cities, but I'd like to!
~Susan~
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Ash
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Post by Ash » Tue September 1st, 2009, 3:51 am

I am very jealous, you are visiting cities that I have dreamed about. You might be interested in Paul Theroux book Pillars of Hercules, where he takes a Mediterranian trip like that (he tends to be a bit of a crank, but his travel writing is really first rate. Just ignore some of his rants)

Ive been to Haifa, and remember the ocean, but little else. Rome I remember being filthy and noisy. I loved the art, but left as soon as I could get away. See the Uffizi, the Vatican, and Ostia Antica. I actually liked Naples better, but that might have been the people we were with who knew where they were going. You must go to Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the Naples Archaeology Museum.

I was in Athens for too short a time, decades ago. I remember white ruins, blue sky, amazing ocean. Too young to appreciate most of it, and want to go back some day, esp with the new museum now opening up.

How do you plan to travel? I can see taking a boat, tho I don't like cruises.

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Vanessa
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Post by Vanessa » Tue September 1st, 2009, 7:25 am

Ephesus is a fantastic place to see. I've been to Rome and the Vatican is a great place to look round and don't forget to throw your coin(s) in the Trevi Fountain - if you throw three in, it means you will go back apparently! There are a lot of pickpockets (as there are in most big cities, I suppose, but we were particularly warned), however, so keep your belongings close to you and quite a few beggars on the streets with children (just to try to look more appealing I think!). Apart from that, it is quite a beautiful city. There's the Colosseum, too, although the Italians walk past it as if it's just another building, not being particularly proud of it!
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Kveto from Prague
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Post by Kveto from Prague » Tue September 1st, 2009, 8:21 am

[quote=""Telynor""]Planning a cruise to the Eastern Mediterrean. I'll only have a day or two in each port, so it's more of a 'hit the highlights' sort of thing (I know, I know...). Here's the cities where I am going:

Rome
Athens
Rhodes
Ephesus
Alexandria
Ashdod
Haifa
Naples
Rome

So any ideas or suggestions are very welcome![/quote]

I lived in rome for two years and didnt manage to see everything. but i could definately give you some "hidden gems".

Save your money and dont go inside the coluseum. its more impressive outside. dont wear shorts or exposed shoulders to the vatican. they wont let you in. vatican museum is crowded. st peters is amazing. mark twain pointed out that you dont realize how big it is inside until you compare it to the people since evertything is giganic in scale.

buy a book on giancarlo bernini. hes the artist and architect who did more for rome than anyone. the museo borgesa has more famous and vaulable works of art than any other museum out there, particulary if you like sculptures. the cappuchin monk church of bones is macabre to say the least.


Naples is very cluttered and a little scary at night but has lots of character. I cannot recommend Pompeii highly enough. give yourself at least a day there, and start from the back of town.


Athens is really meh for me.

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Madeleine
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Post by Madeleine » Tue September 1st, 2009, 10:31 am

I think the Uffizi gallery is in Florence, Ash!

True, Rome is very noisy and a bit of a culture shock - try not to overdo it even though you'll only be there a short while, pace yourself as there's a lot to take in. As Keny says, the Vatican is horrendously overcrowded and by the time we got to the Sistine Chapel I was too drained to really take it all in, all I wanted to do was get some fresh air! Wear comfy shoes and be prepared for lots of walking and standing about.
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross

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Carine
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Post by Carine » Tue September 1st, 2009, 12:49 pm

That sounds like a fantastic trip ! I'd love to do that too some day !
I've been is Athens, but thats about 25 years ago. I loved the ancient buildings (or what's left of them) and the old part of the town. Greece has this special atmosphere, in my opinion anyway.

I've been in Rhodes aswell, beautiful island ! I really enjoyed my holiday there !
Last edited by Carine on Tue September 1st, 2009, 12:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ash
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Post by Ash » Tue September 1st, 2009, 1:42 pm

[quote=""Madeleine""]I think the Uffizi gallery is in Florence, Ash! .[/quote]

Oops....Ok, there was a big gallery in Rome that I saw....but that trip was a blur in many ways, and I probably got confused because Florence and Venice were my favorite parts of the trip

I think the best thing in Rome for us was the church where you walk down into history. The actual church was Renaissance, lower level down was Medival, and lowest level was a temple of Rome. Absolutely fascinating (someone here will know the name). And once you get used to the vespas zooming by you on the sidewalk, a shopping trip in Rome around the Spanish Steps was great fun. Ditto on good shoes, and pickpockets (in all our travels, the only time we encountered one was on Rome, in the crowded subway train by a guy who had a map in his hand like he was a tourist. Fortunately he grabbed a small change purse from my DHs pocket, not much. But unsettling) And yes watch the kids, and the gypsys (both groups I felt very bad for, but knew if I started handing out coins we would be engulfed in humanity)

Funniest story in Rome were the cats - there are many thousands of them. We were walking outside the Colisseum passed some vendors when we saw one cat eating from a can of food, with several others looking on longingly. Thinking we were going to be good samaritians, we took the can and emptied it on the ground for all of them. Oh my, you'd think we'd committed murder, the vendors started yelling at us. Apparently the single cat was ill and often pushed aside from the others, so she was given the can first so she could eat in peace, then the others were fed. We offered to pay for food but we were just brushed away. Oops.

Ash
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Post by Ash » Tue September 1st, 2009, 1:44 pm

The two cities on this list that are unfamiliar to me are Ephesus and Ashdod. I apparently wasn't far from Ashdod when I visited Bethlehem but had obviously never heard of it. Oh well, I was young - probably missed a bunch of places on that trip.
Last edited by Ash on Tue September 1st, 2009, 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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sweetpotatoboy
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Post by sweetpotatoboy » Tue September 1st, 2009, 2:09 pm

Ashdod and Bethlehem aren't really that close, well not far I guess but I wouldn't relate them to each other.

Although Ashdod is certainly a Biblical city, it's now a modern port and I wouldn't waste time in it. I would head straight for Jerusalem from there. If you have time, visit the Dead Sea and/or Jericho if you can.

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