2010 had also been the year we moved back to New York with one complication. Our tenants were not ready to move. My friend Doris had a rental house that was soon to become vacant and we decided to move there. It was 4 miles from our house so we were almost in the same neighborhood. I have been blessed to have the most wonderful friends throughout my life and this time was no exception. Between having a house available and having friends to help us move, it worked seamlessly. We had to drive back with what we brought, what we acquired while there and what was shipped. Rich and Lisa generously came out to Illinois, charged the rental vehicle on her credit card and drove it back to New York. They arrived first, unloaded everything and even returned the car for us. Not enough can be said for what they did. We spent a few weeks painting and getting things ready. Pods delivered the container on schedule and we moved in, not sure how long we would be there. 2011 arrived with a few significant snow storms and hurricanes. Most tragic of all, my beautiful 32 year old son, who had been battling an opioid addiction, lost his battle. Not a year to celebrate but it was heartwarming to see how many friends turned out to celebrate his (short) life.
2012 began on a somber note. After the sad end to 2011, we recognized that we needed something to lift our spirits. Planning a trip seemed like a good distraction. One thing that Butch had always wanted to do was visit the Holy Land and I had always wanted to see the pyramids. Our differences were readily apparent. His faith was strong while I was not on good terms with the almighty. As luck would have it, we found a cruise going to both places and more. Since it was now 2012, I jokingly said we have to go this year because if the Mayan calendar is correct, we won’t have a second chance. The cruise visited Egypt, Israel, Turkey and Greece. We decided it could be something to look forward to.
We spent several wonderful days in Rome. If you skip back to the posts “Rome the Eternal City” and “More on Rome the Eternal City”, our time is Rome is documented.
This cruise departed only a few months after the Arab Spring uprising. The previous cruise had been diverted from Egypt to Sicily. I was concerned that we may not get the chance to see the pyramids and the Egyptian Museum where the treasures of King Tutankhamun’s tomb are housed. Luckily, things had calmed down and we were on track to visit Egypt. We were to be in port 2 days and had ample time to visit the pyramids and the museum. I will say after the turmoil of the previous months in Egypt, at no time did we ever feel unwelcome or unsafe. We had friendly and knowledgeable tour guides who made sure we were well cared for.
I don’t know if I could adequately describe the pyramids. Awe inspiring, other worldly, ancient, mysterious all come to mind. Until you actually see them, you can’t truly appreciate the experience.
No matter how many documentaries are produced claiming to know how the pyramids were built, so far, nothing can be proven. That day we also saw the Step Pyramid which was the basis for future pyramid builders.
We next had a camel ride in the desert. My camel apparently had a thing for Kelly’s camel. It was hard trying to keep them apart. I’ve heard multiple horror stories of camels spitting, biting and being overall disagreeable. I must have had the best behaved camel of all. Once he was away from Kelly’s camel, he was calm and docile.
Lunch was at a well known chain hotel. As we arrived, we were greeted by a three man band. As previously promised, two drummers and a bagpiper all dressed like pharaohs! I have no explanation.
The following day we went back to the pyramids and had a chance to spend some time just walking around the area and having a chance to see these incredible structures up close.
Our time in Egypt also included a tour of a papyrus shop where we saw a demonstration of how papyrus is made. We were able to purchase hand painted papyrus that we could design. I had a double cartouche painted with Butch and my names in hieroglyphics. It’s beautiful. I had it framed and it’s in my home. The visit to the Egyptian Museum was so much more that I expected. The treasures of King Tutankhamun were displayed in all their glory along with ancient artifacts, mummies and religious items. I confess, I could spend my life in museums so this was just the icing on the cake for me. Unfortunately, photos were not permitted in the museum.
It was now time to say goodbye to Egypt. On to Israel where our first stop was Jerusalem.
This was what Butch most wanted to see. He had a strong faith and for him, being there was a long awaited wish come true. As I’m writing this, war has broken out between Israel and Hamas which brings back somewhat unsettling memories. There was definitely a conflicting sense of peace and turmoil in Jerusalem and nearly everywhere we went there were groups of heavily armed soldiers. I was thinking as I saw this how lucky we are. People in this region of the world live with the threat of war and violence everyday while we don’t give it a thought.
While in Jerusalem, we saw the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall where I placed 2 prayers, investigated the many shops, walked the Via Dolorosa and entered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It’s incredible to think that so much history of the worlds three great religions is located in this place. All devoted to God yet unable to live in peace.
The following day we headed out to see Masada, scene of the 960 Sicarii Jewish Zealot hold outs from Roman domination. The siege went on for months and to this day the outlines of the Roman camps can be seen from above. It was originally built as a fortress with two palaces by Herod the Great, on a high plateau above the Dead Sea. The history of Masada and the 960 is worth learning about. Today, an amazing amount of Masada is well preserved along with a recreation of what it originally was. Due to its elevation and the fact that it is one of Israel’s most popular tourist attractions, there are elevators and cable cars in additional to the foot path up to the top.
On our exit from Masada, we were treated to an amazing site. Up in the sand colored cliffs was a family of Ibex that perfectly blended in with their surroundings. If you look closely, you can see them. Today, they are said to be close to extinction.
Our next stop was the Dead Sea. Its healing properties are legendary. Two important facts about the Dead Sea, it is the saltiest body of water in the world and because of the buoyancy the salt content creates, you can’t drown. The other fact, for the same reason, you don’t want to open your eyes under water. It will burn! And no, I didn’t.
We started the next day with a visit to Capharnaum where Jesus is said to have spent the three years of his ministry.
There was much to see that brings back bible stories I heard as a child. It was a beautiful, peaceful place. This particular day was a completely unique experience. On the tour bus, Butch had a episode of coughing. He had gotten into the habit of taking honey in the morning which seemed to work. This day he had forgotten it. The tour guide heard him coughing and asked what he could do to help. Butch explained he had neglected to take the honey that morning. Next thing we knew, the bus had stopped by a very long driveway where a man was jogging to the bus holding a jar. It was a friend of the tour guide who presented Butch with a jar of Golan Heights honey. This tour guide was a truly amazing person. He was a young Jewish man who was as well versed in the Christian bible as he was in the Torah. He had an extremely gentle way of speaking and interacting with people which gave me a truly peaceful feeling in his presence. He and Butch had an interesting discussion about faith and the different forms it takes. Having crossed the Jordan River and acres of fruit and vegetables, we were now headed to a Kibbutz for lunch. This was a truly unique experience. The lunch was delicious and everything we ate and drank was produced at the Kibbutz. We were now on our way to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation. There was a large circular courtyard with multiple mosaic depictions of Mary holding baby Jesus. What is so intriguing about these mosaics is that they were created in different parts of the world and the facial features in each one were representative of the people from that particular country.
Once again, the incredible diversity of the area was brought to our attention. The history of Nazareth documents its ties to both Judaism and Christianity but is today occupied by a majority Muslim population.
This brings our time in Israel to a close. The following day we arrived in Kusadasi Turkey and a short ride brought us to Ephesus which contains some of the best preserved ancient ruins in the world. Its history dates back to the 10th century BC. It is today a significant archeological and pilgrimage site. It was impressive, to say the least.
Originally a hugely important ancient Greek port city, Ephesus changed hands many times throughout history. It was in Roman hands for a time and most of the ruins still standing today were built or rebuilt by Caesar Augustus. Ephesus was also significant in the spread of Christianity. Unfortunately, time, geology and the desire for domination sealed its fate. It was fascinating to walk through the ruins and imagine what life was like throughout the various incarnations of this city. One thing that we noticed wherever there were ruins that attracted tourists, there were always dogs and cats who made these areas their home. There’s shade and a never ending supply of generous tourists.
We were also treated to a tour of living conditions of the time. Much is incredibly well preserved.
Of course no tour would be complete without a visit to the local shopping area. In spite of the sign, I did manage to acquire a beautiful traditional style necklace and bracelet.
Our last stop in Turkey was at a rug factory where we were educated in the process of silk rug making from the silk worm which is actually the cocoon of the silk moth, to spinning the silk, to the finished product. We fell in love with a particular handmade Turkish rug and purchased it. As I’m writing this, that rug is under my desk.
The last stop on this epic cruise to the ancient world was Greece. Starting in Athens, we saw the Parthenon and were instantly transported to what was. It was cold and windy that morning but within a few hours the weather was warm and sunny. The view from the Acropolis was a spectacular panorama of the city.
We then were taken to the Temple of Poseidon which was located on a hill. it was a bit of an uphill trek to get there and Butch was rightfully proud that he made it the top without assistance and had his Rocky moment.
Greece was everything I had expected and so much more. Our next stop in Greece was the island of Crete. The day started early at an olive grove and family business. After touring the olive groves, we were treated to a fabulous “breakfast” of green and black olives, artisan bread, native cheese, feta and spinach pastry patties and a big glass of homemade wine. Best breakfast ever! The family that owned and operated the business had a mini museum of antique tools, the original grinding wheel and the Greek version of a still.
Next we visited a Greek monastery where we were greeted by the monk. The word icon that is so frequently used today is actually derived from the Greek eikon, meaning “image, resemblance”. The most common usage referred to religious paintings from Eastern Orthodox churches.
After making new friends at the monastery, we were taken to a large outdoor shopping area, much like a giant farmers/flea market. We were so impressed with our “breakfast” that we wanted to see if we could recreate it. We were able to find the bread, the cheese and of course, olives. We took it all back to the ship’s wine bar and had “breakfast” for dinner. This was our final day in Greece. As we sailed back to Italy for the flight home, we were all grateful to have experienced some of the most amazing and beautiful ancient places on the globe.
What we didn’t know was that while we were away, Hurricane Sandy was ravaging the east coast with the New York area in her crosshairs. Since gas was in short supply, we were lucky that the car picking us up at the airport was able to fill up. Rose lives in Pennsylvania but had driven to our house so we could travel together. We arrived home to a neighborhood with no electricity. It was now the beginning of November and it was cold. We left the luggage in the car and crawled into bed fully dressed, but we were warm. The next day we had no clear plan and realized Rose did not have enough gas to get home. I was concerned how the lack of electricity and heat would impact the health of the two cancer patients under my roof. Butch was the one who came up with a solution. I had an elderly aunt (my godmother) and uncle who lived in Trumbull, Connecticut and were always happy to see us. I called Aunt Gen who informed us they had power and the gas stations were all open. Since we had left all the luggage in the car, we didn’t need to pack. We both had enough gas to get to Port Jefferson and the ferry to Bridgeport, Connecticut. When we landed, we found a gas station close by and both filled up. Kelly and Rose headed home to New Jersey and Pennsylvania and Butch and I went for an extended visit with Aunt Gen and Uncle Mike. Four days later, my neighbor called to let us know the power had been restored. After thanking Aunt Gen and Uncle Mike for their hospitality, we put the car back on the ferry and arrived home at last. A very unexpected end to an incredible trip which began as a way to deal with grief. My son had always wanted to see the places we visited and I felt like he was seeing them through my eyes. His dream was to be a chef and the places we visited were home to his favorite cuisines. Today, Uncle Mike is no longer with us but as of May 2023, Aunt Gen, feisty as ever, is 100 years old and living in North Carolina near her daughter and son in law. And so ended 2012. 12/21/2012 came and went. The Mayans were wrong.
2013 started with us moving back to our own house. After five years of tenants in the house, there was a lot to do. We managed to put it back together in time for my daughter’s engagement party. We were planning her wedding and planning our next adventure. Unfortunately, after a valiant six year battle with a relentless cancer, my beautiful husband could not go on. He left us on November 21. Thanksgiving that year was on November 28 and since I had always hosted Thanksgiving the tradition would carry on. I felt it was important to be surrounded by loved ones on a day whose sole purpose was to be thankful. On some level, it was therapeutic.
The prior post “Five Years, Life, a Live In Grandson and Covid” covers the years 2014 to 2016.
Next up, 2017 Italy & Greece again, Churchill Canada and Polar Bears.