Hydra, Greek Isle
Athens, Greece

The water was a little rough overnight. We had breakfast, socialized on deck, and watched as we drew closer to Hydra. The views were beautiful from the ship. Jean had a bad cough and I suggested she stop by to get something from the ship's doctor. I saw her again later, on the island, and she had taken my suggestion, she got the same medication as I did and only paid $21. My bill turned out to be $25, but I was thankful it wasn’t more. The Jenkins were staying in Athens a few days.

Bill W. was decked out in his long white Padre gown on deck, and we asked for his blessing. He took our picture as we dropped anchor near hydra at 11:30. We took a tender to the island and it was beautiful with a unique atmosphere. Houses rise in tiers from a waterfront lined with colorful cafés and shops. There are no cars on the island, only donkeys and mules for transportation. Their principal industries are sponge-fishing and tourism. I bought some large sponges for only $2. At home tiny makeup sponges are $1.50 each. Also got an enameled matchbox depicting the area. We climbed many terraced steps up the rocky path where there are several swimming and sunning areas. The crystal clear and blue Aegean sea was beautiful. I wish I had been well and could have gone in the water. There were rock ledges with ladders down the walls to reach the sea for non-divers. We stopped at an outdoor café and just enjoyed the view. Ed Gropp joined us, then the Walkers got off the tender and we took more pictures.

After returning to the ship we sat on deck for a while before going in for the last bingo game. The big pot was up to $1000 but no one got it. It was divided up and the Walkers and Dahlgrens got a little chunk of it. We had our last dinner with our table mates, then each of us dashed back to the cabins to change into our travel clothes and finish packing. The ship's towels were so fluffy it was hard to get the suitcase closed. After getting bags out by 8 PM, Jim and I left the ship for a walk in the nearby port city of Piraeus. A few small shops were open and the sidewalks were full of people sitting at outdoor cafés. It did not look like a desirable area and I was anxious to get back to the ship. We walked around the dock area where a “battle-ready” Russian cruise ship was anchored. We were very lucky not to have a drop of rain our entire trip. Jim made his last appearance at the night owl festivities and I tucked myself into bed.