Sunday, May 25, 2014
1369. Mountainous monasteries, Greece. Images of tourists
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
1368. An outstanding Greek tour guide - Irene
May 18, 2014. Athens
Irene, a Greek tour guide who has a personality and temperament that captivated the 34 Singaporean and Malaysian packaged tour group with her story telling of Greek mythology which mirrored real life affairs of mortals. For example, the "naughty god" Zeus who slept with various Goddesses. Zeus promised to grant any wish and his wife instigated Zeus' mistress to reveal his true self. The mistress asked Zeus who appeared as thunder, thereby killing the mistress.
As she told us she was a Fullbright opera scholar, some of us asked her to sing. She did sing "Auld Lang Syne" suddenly and I was able to capture part of this most memorable experience of the tour to share with viewers.
Athens tour guide
Athens tour guide sings Auld Lang Syne
A tour guide in Crete explaining the history of the Minoan Palace.
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Irene, a Greek tour guide who has a personality and temperament that captivated the 34 Singaporean and Malaysian packaged tour group with her story telling of Greek mythology which mirrored real life affairs of mortals. For example, the "naughty god" Zeus who slept with various Goddesses. Zeus promised to grant any wish and his wife instigated Zeus' mistress to reveal his true self. The mistress asked Zeus who appeared as thunder, thereby killing the mistress.
As she told us she was a Fullbright opera scholar, some of us asked her to sing. She did sing "Auld Lang Syne" suddenly and I was able to capture part of this most memorable experience of the tour to share with viewers.
Athens tour guide sings Auld Lang Syne
The following are some Singaporean travelers on the "Blue Horizon" ferry, from Crete to Athens. We had beds in this ferry.
A tour guide in Crete explaining the history of the Minoan Palace.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
1367. Travel stories - Ferry to Santorin
Big rolling waves. So a bigger ferry came to pick us up at Mykonos Island to go to Santoriri Island. Hence half a day was "wasted". But in this Greek Island Tour, the main complaint from one senior citizen was too many "free and easy" tours of half days. "What's the point of packaged tours if one is left "free and easy?" for so many occasions? The younger ones organized taxi trips to visit other places nearby but not this senior citizen couple.
Black and white traveler at ferry point in Santorini
Backpackers
Strong rolling waves rock this ferry from Myokonos Island to Santorini Island although the skies look bright and calm. After the recent Korean ferry disaster, nobody complained about the change to a bigger safer ferry to go to Santorini Island, delaying the travel by half a day. I used zoom lens 55-250 mm and had a split second to focus on the lady's eyes and click.
1366. Travel stories - Crete
May 16, 2014, Galaxy Hotel, Crete, Greece. Room 430
A modern hotel with free wireless connections in the rooms unlike the other Greek hotels on this packaged tour, permitting only free access at the lobby. It has sufficient power points too.
We had a rare long-table dinner yesterday of 32 travelers.
My camera lens 18mm - 135mm was not suitable for such photography. Probably I need a lens of 18 mm - 200 mm or more research on how to get everybody in focus. Is it possible?
In Crete, the restaurant is still busy after 11 pm. The above restaurant closes at 12 midnight.
A modern hotel with free wireless connections in the rooms unlike the other Greek hotels on this packaged tour, permitting only free access at the lobby. It has sufficient power points too.
We had a rare long-table dinner yesterday of 32 travelers.
My camera lens 18mm - 135mm was not suitable for such photography. Probably I need a lens of 18 mm - 200 mm or more research on how to get everybody in focus. Is it possible?
In Crete, the restaurant is still busy after 11 pm. The above restaurant closes at 12 midnight.
Friday, May 16, 2014
1365. Travel Stories - Santorini, Greece
May 16, 2014
Yesterday, I got sunburnt while on a boat cruise to the Volcanic Mountains and Hot Springs. The fees were 55 Euros/person as an optional tour. Some Singaporeans spotted the "Cheapest excursions" for the above tour, reduced from 20 Euros to 15 Euros and some snapped images.
"Did you pay 15 Euros?" the kind-hearted girl asked me as I was a belated participant. The others had paid up for this optional tour. "The tour leader has to earn a living as he is not paid a full salary," I just paid the same amount. "He spends time making travel arrangements and accompanying us." It is a hard life for the tour guide as he has to coordinate and attend to complaints and changes and so I don't begrudge him the money.
This kind-hearted girl, in her late 20s, held the hand of a senior citizen lady crossing a busy road. The senior citizen asked her to take care of her husband. The husband said in the Mandarin equivalent: "I open the way for you all." I was shocked when the kind-hearted girl remarked in Mandarin: "Don't bullshit me!" In Mandarin, it sounded "don't pass gas". This young Singaporean wife and another one are more frank in the treatment of their husbands.
As for me, in the old school, I am not used to such frankness but this is the new age.
Yesterday was hectic.
Cable car ride, boat cruise to Volcanic Mountain where my left leg fell into the gap between two boats as I was boarding the boat after the walk up the Mountain. It is like walking into the gap between the subway train and the platform. Fortunately I did not suffer much injuries. One person slipped and fell walking up the pebbly Volcanic Mountain.
At the Hot Springs, I dared not jump in to swim but had a video.
Donkey rides for most of the younger Singaporeans while I took the cable car up.
Yesterday, I got sunburnt while on a boat cruise to the Volcanic Mountains and Hot Springs. The fees were 55 Euros/person as an optional tour. Some Singaporeans spotted the "Cheapest excursions" for the above tour, reduced from 20 Euros to 15 Euros and some snapped images.
"Did you pay 15 Euros?" the kind-hearted girl asked me as I was a belated participant. The others had paid up for this optional tour. "The tour leader has to earn a living as he is not paid a full salary," I just paid the same amount. "He spends time making travel arrangements and accompanying us." It is a hard life for the tour guide as he has to coordinate and attend to complaints and changes and so I don't begrudge him the money.
This kind-hearted girl, in her late 20s, held the hand of a senior citizen lady crossing a busy road. The senior citizen asked her to take care of her husband. The husband said in the Mandarin equivalent: "I open the way for you all." I was shocked when the kind-hearted girl remarked in Mandarin: "Don't bullshit me!" In Mandarin, it sounded "don't pass gas". This young Singaporean wife and another one are more frank in the treatment of their husbands.
As for me, in the old school, I am not used to such frankness but this is the new age.
Yesterday was hectic.
Cable car ride, boat cruise to Volcanic Mountain where my left leg fell into the gap between two boats as I was boarding the boat after the walk up the Mountain. It is like walking into the gap between the subway train and the platform. Fortunately I did not suffer much injuries. One person slipped and fell walking up the pebbly Volcanic Mountain.
At the Hot Springs, I dared not jump in to swim but had a video.
Donkey rides for most of the younger Singaporeans while I took the cable car up.
In Greece and Dubai where my packaged tour travelers stay, usually only the lobby has free wireless internet.
Today, I manage to post one interesting image from the cable car station. I thought this lady wore an appropriate T-shirt as there were donkeys or mules in this part of Santorini. She said it was a coincidence as she did not get this T-shirt from Santorini.
In Greek mythology, if you look at Medusa, you will turn into stone. Medusa is portrayed as having snakes in her wavy hairs. So, the image below reminds me of a modern Medusa in Greece. Bright morning sunshine at around 10 am, near the cable car station. Donkeys pass by and poop on the cobble-stone streets.
In this tour, some of the 33 travelers asked for emails to email pictures to each other. Our Singaporean guide said that he could do it for us. I doubt it as most don't seem to have time to do it and so it is better to do it ourselves. I also don't email pictures to fellow travellers when I am back to Singapore. I email this image at Hotel Galaxy in Greece as it reminds me of a modern Medusa in Greece.
In this tour, some of the 33 travelers asked for emails to email pictures to each other. Our Singaporean guide said that he could do it for us. I doubt it as most don't seem to have time to do it and so it is better to do it ourselves. I also don't email pictures to fellow travellers when I am back to Singapore. I email this image at Hotel Galaxy in Greece as it reminds me of a modern Medusa in Greece.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
1364. Travel stories - Mountainous monasteries, Greece
May 13, 2014 6 am
Divani Palace Acropolis, Rm 356
Leaving for the Greek Islands at 6.15 am. Yesterday, visited two monasteries in the high mountains. We got a much bigger room with more power points than on arrival when we were given a smaller room on the 2nd floor. This hotel is said to be 5-star but the smaller room would be given to packaged tour travellers who are the mass market. So we use the lobby's free wireless rather than pay for use in the rooms.
Bright sunshine, blue skies and cool days.
I manage to post one good image of fellow travelers after the visit to the mountainous monasteries, one for the monks and one for the nuns. Red and white comes out well in this image if you can appreciate the contrast. A thin band of sunshine lit up the fair lady (2nd from right)
Bright sunshine, blue skies and cool days.
I manage to post one good image of fellow travelers after the visit to the mountainous monasteries, one for the monks and one for the nuns. Red and white comes out well in this image if you can appreciate the contrast. A thin band of sunshine lit up the fair lady (2nd from right)
Yesterday, after the visit to the nunnery, outside waiting for the bus to move out at 11 am.
The sunlight was there and the red and whites make an interesting photo. I can't figure out what they aere looking at. Probably a stray cat?
Red and black. Rose gardens are rare in Singapore.
In the prime but has imperfections. We need to embrace imperfections and changes in our lives as globalisation and unemployment adversely affect many of us. In Greece, around 28% of the young are employed. In Singapore, the young in general, job hops and does not want to work on week ends. In Dubai, the taxi drivers are young foreigners working 12 hours, 7 days a week for one to two years and then get a 45-day home leave. They don't get paid a retainer. Commissions are based at 35% for earnings over DH 12,000 and 30% for over DH 10,000 and 20% for less.
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