Last Friday, as much as it pains me to say . . . I could not get my Weekly WOW! email out to your inboxes.
I know, I know. You were sitting at your desk hitting the refresh button over and over waiting for it to come through. Alas, it never did.
But I don’t feel bad.
I don’t feel bad because I was operating the absolute best ever WOW! program aboard the m/v Tere Moana, visiting spectacular small ports throughout Turkey and Greece.
Even though my wrist is hurting and I’m traveling yet again to Amsterdam for another site inspection, I want to share with all you “wowees” and potential “wowees” some of the photographic highlights of this spectacular experience.
Sunset scene as we departed Istanbul on Day One.
The scenic little island of Symi – one of our favorites in a week filled with favorites. Big ships can’t go here (thank goodness!)
Two really cool guys: Gabriel and Captain Rajko Zupan, Master of the Tere Moana.
We discovered this precious little church on the little island of Tilos.
Hung out to dry in Santorini!
What a way to start another WOW day: hanging out on the Bridge with a fresh cup of coffee as we sailed into Santorini – where our little ship had the most desirable anchorage.
It took a bit of convincing to get these toga-clad Romans to do the traditional “wow” pose at the ancient city of Ephesus … but two beautiful young women (my step-daughters, Ashley and Erica) helped show them how to do the WOW!
We jumped into the exquisitely beautiful Aegean waters for a swim one afternoon. WOWees were happy to strike a familiar pose from the back of the ship.
We manipulated the WOW itinerary to arrive at many places before busloads of tourists would arrive … allowing us to capture unspoiled views like this little cafe in Patmos – ready and waiting for the lunch crowd.
These magnificent windmills were waiting for us in Patmos … without a tourist in sight!
One of the best things about our week at sea was the amazing crew. In this photo, Captain Rajko embraces Alex, who did double duty as the piano player and dockside greeter – welcoming us back onboard with chilled towels and fresh fruit – and (always) a wonderful smile. The crew couldn’t do enough for us … even carried our plates from the buffet! (None of us are quite certain how we’ll ever manage on our own!)
My WOW! Travel Club alumni enjoyed a private dinner on the Bridge during the evening we were docked in Symi … a magical scene!
For many, this was the ultimate “WOW” moment: a private concert with the Izmir Symphony Orchestra at the ancient Odeom Theatre in Ephesus, as the sun was setting and the entire UNESCO World Heritage site was deserted. Many a tear was shed in joyous ecstasy!
Gabriel and the Donkey Man in Santorini. (If the man only knew what terrible things Gabriel was saying about his donkeys . . . !)
Wow trips are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities … seize them when you can!
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10 Comments
Stephanie June 16, 2015 at 1:36am
WOW. Truly! These photos, that ship, the blue seas, the huge smiles….my goodness, this trip looks like it was simply incredible. Thank you for sharing the highlights, Marilyn.
Jack Daly June 16, 2015 at 2:01pm
While Marilyn has done a great job of photo capturing the trip, it pales in comparison to the reality. Only by personally experiencing a WOW trip could one understand.
The Ephesus stop alone was worth a lifetime of memories. Thanks to all at WOW that makes such memories possible.
Scott Gibb June 16, 2015 at 2:57pm
Another great WOW trip out of many that I’ve been able to share with you. Thanks sweetie. Love you.
Julie Franz June 16, 2015 at 10:28pm
Absolutely incredible trip! And this is just the tip of the iceberg! I enjoyed your photos, Marilyn, and will probably “steal” a couple to supplement my own. The adventures, the carefully selected gifts, and the wonderful fellow travelers make every WOW trip a one-of-a-kind journey! Thank you again!
P.S. Sure hope your wrist heals pronto! I know you haven’t given it much rest!
Steven June 17, 2015 at 1:07am
Some of this has been said before, and as a participant in the Istanbul/Greek Isle excursion that Marilyn and Gabriel put together I can say it will be one of my best all time travel memories. Yes, the locations we visited were all “special”, but what sets the “Wow” experience apart from other travel experiences is the thought, care and detail M&G build into the experiences. Simply an incredible experience!
Thank you M&G for all that you did and continue to do!
Marilyn June 17, 2015 at 12:01pm
Thanks, all, for your wonderful testimonials. The success of any WOW travel program is owed to a lot of things, not the least of which are 1) superb travel suppliers and 2) the absolute BEST travelers in the world. To create it for you, to share it with you and to be acknowledged by you … there’s nuthin’ better than that!
Jill Stoliker June 17, 2015 at 12:35pm
This trip was spectacular and I am rolling the magic moments around in my memory. You attract the best, most generous, enthusiastic, spontaneous, creative and intelligent people on your trips. As a single traveler, I always felt safe, looked after, and included. I am sincerely grateful to you, Marilyn and Gabriel, in addition to your WOW staff, tour guides, Tere Moana Captain and crew. “It is all in the details!” should be added to your logo.
Cheryl and Jim Gelbmann June 17, 2015 at 11:37pm
Adding Cappadocia with the fairy chimneys, our cave hotel room and the amazing hot air ballooning to the Tere Moana made it a truely a special trip! Loved the frame for the watercolor islands! Thank you!
Sonja and Eric Rheaume June 18, 2015 at 9:30pm
We had such a fabulous experience with everyone. All our friends have been asking our favorite stop. How can you pick? Each place was amazing! We can’t wait for our next trip! Thanks again Marilyn
Reggie, Judy Armstrong June 19, 2015 at 2:49pm
All we can say is “WOW” : ) !! Incredibly beautiful, unmatchable pictures. Thanks for letting those who were not there, share the experiences of it a bit. Your old Titan classmates ! Judy & Reggie