alexandriacardinals

[OK, I lied.  We’re not going to Naples (well, we will after this posting).  The annual Grape Stomp at Carlos Creek Winery took place over a week ago, last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  If I wait any longer, it won’t be “news” anymore!  That Friday morning dawned beautifully over beautiful Lake Darling.]

[And it was a beautiful day as we drove into the pasture parking lot at the winery for the afternoon commencement of the Stomp.]

[The walk from the field to the winery facilities.]

[Lumberjack stuff – drew big crowds.]

[We go for the music.  Here’s the Mel Lamar Trio w/ Bill and Eric, on the Marquette Stage.]

“Autumn Leaves”  – Mel Lamar Trio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKInC8cWGZY

[Mary Lou and Al join in.]

“All of Me” – Mel Lamar Trio w/ Mary Lou Thunselle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRWhqtywvsM

[That evening we went to SAWA to catch Components.  I was delighted to find Peroni – whenever we ate out in Italy, we always said, “And the local beer.”  The local beer was always Peroni!  🙂 ]

[Sami Steidl and the boys are terrific . . .]

[We were later arrivals, so most of the night involved stop and chats.]

[Some day, and noiseless situation, I will try to get a bunch of videos of them.]

[Then Al walked in, none the worse for wear from his afternoon performance.]

[The came Saturday, and the Stomp’s annual weather hex took hold.  It had not rained here since . . . well, a really long time.  We were in drought conditions, again.  The forecast for Saturday was for possible isolated  thunderstorms.  Of course, it started to rain around noon . . . and never stopped!  How to end a drought?  Start a grape stomp!]

[There was music at several venues, including the Marquette Stage outside where Josie Nelson was part of an hourly rotation.  We hoped to rotate out there as well.  Inside, the big place (the old hippodrome) hosted Harper’s Chord (above, shot by the supervisor and immediately posted on Facebook), Uncle Willie’s Gut Bucket Blues Band, and a young bluegrass group.  As early arrivers, and before the rain began, we staked out a front row table.  When the rain began, everyone who had been outside perusing the vendors and such flowed into our arena until it was packed.  We couldn’t leave or we’d never get our seats back.  The crowd made it quite a party – but way to noisy for videos.]

[Roger, Jill, and Paul were their usual outstanding selves!  🙂 ]

[Stage right “Uncle Willie” was plotting.  Annie, you run a fly pattern; Terry, buttonhook to the third oak cask; Al, fake a reverse . . .]

[What the heck.  Forget all that.  Quarterback sneak!]

[Harper’s Chord wasn’t yet ready to yield the stage . . .]

[Jill shielded Roger from the repossessors.]

[Then “Uncle Willie” took their turn.]

[Al looks to the audience as he does some audio adjustments.]

[Bruce thinks, “I think it’s good now.”]

[They are a photogenic group.]

[Let’s just wander around and enjoy the crowd.]

[Our group, across a crowded room.]

[Our table . . .]

[With Harper’s Chord . . . until they performed again, then we would be joined by Uncle Willie.  Worked out, but if you left a chair vacated for 5 seconds, someone would ask for it!]

[Let the dancing begin . . .]

[The bluegrass group.]

[A young boy, chased by his mom, was an original dancer – solo!]

[Harper’s Chord takes their 2nd shift.]

[Then the Lucys arrived – don’t know from where – but there seemed to be dozens of them.  An annual event at the Stomp is the Lucy Look-A-Like contest.]

[Red wigs, polka dot dresses, and aprons abounded!]

[It’s a winery!  The Lucys were ready to par-tay!]

[Hide the women and children!  (Oh, they are women.)]

[Remember, we were at a winery.]

[Wine was the operative word here.]

[Watch out!  They’re on the loose!]

[Catch ’em, Karin!]

[One of the Lucys asked me to dance.  The supervisor made me do it.  Then the Lucy fondled my fundament!  I was groped!  Nice to know at 66 I’ve still got “it.”  Fortunately, “it” can be can now be cured by a simple glance in the mirror.]

[We’ve played golf with her!]

[I’ve played golf with him!]

[We’ve not only golfed with her (on the left), we’ve “Y’d” with her!  😉 ]

[Oh, those Lucys!]

[Yup, still raining.]

[Josie’s playing in the rain.]

[Everybody’s scrunched together on the porch.]

[Another wet day for the vendors.]

[Had to go pay my respects to Josie . . .]

[For toughing it out!  😉 ]

[That night we went to Bennigan’s for Skilly & Duff (Bruce and Annie fled the Grape Stomp immediately to join Mikko here).  Plus, we knew Abby was waitressing there!  🙂 ]

[The celebration was Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day!]

[On Sunday afternoon, Patchouli was inside.  Skilly & Duff were outside, but the weather was chilly and misty so we stayed here under the roof.]

[Julie and Bruce were their usual terrific selves.  They will be back for Applefest in mid-October, and then will be off to Florida for the winter.]

[Again, the inside crowd noise made videos a no go.]

[The supervisor does her Facebook thing.]

[Break time.]

[Julie works the bass.]

[The supervisor did find time for a little shopping on the last day.]

[She has such fun!  🙂 ]

[I had to go vertical to show we featured a Zin on this day.]

[The walk back to the car.  We’ve seen this scene before.]

[Some rows were a quagmire (not to be confused with the “Family Guy” character).]

[We’re out here somewhere – and we did make it out.]

[Josie, shot by son-in-law Danny at the winery in June.]

“Don’t Know Why” – Josie Nelson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaiFZiDdjWo

We caught up with Josie at the winery again yesterday.  And once more I tried for a good video of “Don’t Know Why.”  For the first time, we weren’t overcome by weather conditions.  I think it’s the best I could do based on limited photographic abilities.  Enjoy.

MYKONOS

[OMG!  Well, at least I got Mom’s legs.  So, we’re on the “road” to Mykonos, the most famous of the famous Greek islands, playground for Greek oil tycoons, the beautiful people, the yachting class, children of playground age, and great big cruise ships.]

[At the request of various food channel aficionados (and they know who they are), we have been asked to display the buffet.  Well, at a minimum it goes on for at least a city block on both sides of the ship (that would be both port and starboard sides, for you waterlogged types), with various crossing “alleys,” where one might stumble into some more specialty food products.  Here the supervisor is in an “alley” looking for something good to take back to the room.]

[I think she found some fruit!  In an effort to overcome the cruise ship phenomenon known as gluttony, I had Raisin Bran, and Raisin Bran only, for most breakfasts during the trip.  🙂  ]

[The supervisor heads back home, fruit in hand, over the Chasm of Death.]

[Gives me vertigo because of my acrophobia, which as you will recall from your Johnny Carson days means fear of acrobats.]

[There are three banks of elevators on the ship, all about a football field apart.  We all lived on the 9th floor, and partied on 5, 16, and 17.  It’s wonderful that since we’ve been home, PBS has done a program on cruise ships noting that these new ones, like ours, are inherently unstable because they are 200 feet above the water line.  Oy!  But we had great weather on our trip, and only on one evening did we even have the slightest feeling that we were traveling on water.]

[Land ho!  Mykonos. ]

[An end of Mykonos.]

[Here comes the tug to guide us in.]

[The Greek Islands are an international vacation hot spot for sailing vacations.  These folks are likely from Cleveland.]

[The initial plan was to anchor in the harbor and tender people in.  On our Caribbean cruise, we were tendered in by shore-based operations (business for the local economies).  Now I believe the ships prefer to do it with their own lifeboats – for the practice.  However, sorta last minute, we somehow obtained docking rights . . .]

[Probably because we beat this ship?  🙂  ]

[That ship was tendering their people.]

[Our dock.  BTW, our dock that used to host the Moby Obie on beautiful Lake Darling, was taken out for the season last week.  I believe I may have ventured out on it twice this summer, probably while installing the lake pump.]

[Look like tenders flitting around?]

[Mykonos, the land of all white houses.  They all have to be white by law.  How ’bout them zoning restrictions?  😉  ]

[Mykonos has about 10,000 inhabitants.  Up to 7 cruise ships a day visit here.  With ferries, yachts, planes, etc., you can do the math regarding the visitors to locals ratios.  But the entire economy is based on tourism, so if you hear anybody complaining about the crowds there, it’s likely to be from other tourists and not the Mykonosians (Mykonites?).]

[Port side jets, or how you parallel park these monsters.]

[We’re at the dock . . . and there’s a beach.]

[Our group was among the last to disembark, so we had time for a morning walkabout up top. ]

[Some people just stay on board and do their “beaching” at the pool.]

[That beach could be walked to, but they didn’t recommend it absent walking shoulders on the sides of the roads.]

[And we’re off – into the blazing noon day sun.  It would hit 100 degrees on this day.  And there was no wind, which we were told is very rare.  I don’t want to hear anything about “it’s a dry heat!”  So’s an oven!]

[And here’s our tour guide, Christa, in the flowery dress.]

[Well, first the Mykonos bus stop.  Then on the ship – the little jut out on the top floor – that’s the glass walkway.  See two photos up for an idea of the height above the water.]

[A mini ride from the ship to this parking lot where we would begin our walking tour of the town of Mykonos.]

[Always saddle-up in the shade.]

[There’s the walk destination, and beyond.]

[Christa and me.  She must have been at least a power forward in basketball.  She has lived on Mykonos for 28 years – came from the mainland.  I could not live on this island for that long without getting Rock Fever, something akin to claustrophobia.   I am the proto-typical American tourist.  With apologies again to The Nanner, the hat helps prevent my scalp from bubbling like pancake batter on a hot griddle.]

[The Shankar sisters and Teri pose for photo ops, our destination in the background.]

[And then so does the supervisor!  And yes, as you can see, she was delighted to be here.  🙂  ]

[Ships and yachts.  You can notice here the attraction would be the crystal clear water.]

[A flower.  Mykonos is very arid, plants were at a premium.]

[We’re on our walk, past another beach.]

[Better use SPF 3 million!]

[We’re in town, in case you couldn’t tell.  Umbrellas provide the best SPF.]

[The supervisor is a master at wending through crowds.]

[We came upon a town square.  That is not our boat.]

[Back in the alleyways where all the excitement is.]

[A pause to collect the group.  The group of 17 was unhappy about the heat and the length of this trek.  😉 ]

[Jessie shoots Teri.]

[Yes, cars drive through these “streets” despite having to deal with these massive walking tour groups.  But as Bill noted, walking through the “neighborhoods” is what you want to do. ]

[Onward.]

[A respite in a lovely garden café.  The supervisor orders a beverage.]

[And it turned out to be a combination art gallery/sculpture garden.]

[Grab a table; order a cool drink.]

[H2O is the beverage of choice here.]

[Yup, an outdoor theatre.  And no, “Zorba the Greek” was not playing.]

[A review of some of the sculptures.]

[THE BIG WHITE GALLERY.  It says so right on the side of the building.]

[We’re marching again.]

[Whoa!  What do we have here?  A little touch of home?  😉 ]

[Well, they almost got the spelling right.  😉 ]

[The windmills of Mykonos.  The ultimate destination of our walk through town.]

[And another photo op for the Shankars.  We were the photographer when dad wanted to join the picture, and vice-versa.]

[The café “Alexandria”?  😉 ]

[Let’s climb to the windmills.]

[Hope I don’t fall!]

[The part of town on water’s edge is known as “Little Venice,” for obvious reasons.]

[Wow, this is neat.]

[The requisite “yes, we were here” tourist photo.]

[Most were built by the Venetians in the 16th century, primarily to mill wheat.  That function ceased about 60 years ago, so now they’re a tourist attraction.]

[We can now say we have had our picture taken by Ravi Shankar.  🙂 ]

[We returned the favor to the Shankars at this same spot.]

[Peek-a-boo!]

[Quite the attractive setting.  And the supervisor was working on her tan!  😉 ]

[The sisters were jumping for joy . . .]

[We’re on the road again.  Some of the group decided to stay back in town or go to the beach.]

[I don’t recall the name of this place we’re heading to, but I think the idea was to see the island of Delos across the bay?]

[I somehow accidentally changed the camera setting for this and following photos taken here.  They have a weird quality that it took several computer adjustments to achieve.]

[Now we’re heading inland to . . . ]

[The little town of Ano Mera in the middle of the island.  Jessie and Teri have a “ghostly” stroll across the plaza.]

[The supervisor really liked this place.  To bad the photographer screwed up the photos!]

[A view inside the Ano Mera monastery.]

[We have arrived at Kalafati Beach on the east side of the island, the far side from whence we came.]

[Looks tropical!]

[Overlooking the beach, and the Smart Car.]

[We didn’t go in but word had it that the water was salty.  😉  ]

[Ahhh, vacation on the Greek Isles.]

[Note the caption 3 photos below.]

[The fishing village across from the restaurant.]

[The restaurant below the houses with a view.]

[This became an instant favorite for me!   I don’t remember its given name, but it’s described as a guy laying on his back napping.  That’s his head on the left, with an open mouth, and his full tummy on the right.  My kinda guy!]

[The fishing village from the restaurant.]

[Bill and Anne lead us back to the bus.  We were all ready to be air conditioned!]

[The fishing village across the bay.]

[Looking back at the restaurant and the buildings on the hill.]

[The “napping guy” island is visible in the distance.]

[I can see Mykonos as a vacation spot for beach lovers.  I’ve just never been a “lay in the sun and bake” kind of a guy?]

[This is Elias Beach (photo borrowed from the internet), just down the road a bit from Kalafati.  So, if you are a beach lover . . .]

[The only non-white building on the island.  It wasn’t clear why.  It’s over a hundred years old but there have got to be others in that age group?  Maybe you have to have an exception to every rule as a talking point?]

[Back to the ship, tour’s over.]

[We dropped some folks off back in town for additional shopping.]

[Almost back to the ship – there really wasn’t a lot of room to walk there.]

[I’ll do my “beaching” on the ship.]

[Bill and Anne descend the spiral staircase into the atrium.]

[Let’s eat! ]

[The dining room had an F. Scott Fitzgerald “feel” to it.  😉  (See it in the background of the photo above.) ]

[We had a ceiling mirror for photo ops.  OK, it’s in the atrium bar.  😉  ]

[That night was the all-cast show in the atrium.  Our usual table (and all others) on the atrium floor were taken.  Nevertheless, we had comfy seats in the bar on the other side of the aisle that still had a view . . . ]

[Until the SRO crowd blocked our view.  😦  ]

[The supervisor went back to the cast staging area for a view.]

[The balconies were packed to the rafters.]

[Ho-hum.]

[Some nights this is how the party goes!  (This was a picture hanging in the ship.)]

Up next:  Naples.  (p.s.  Congrats to the volleyball team, still undefeated and in first place in the conference.  Missed their win Thursday v. Willmar, 3 – 0, due to a scheduling conflict (it happens, too often).  And a shout out to the girls’ soccer team, also undefeated and in first place.  Oh, and take the family to see Willy Wonka at AAAA.)

ISTANBUL

[The supervisor likes to be served.  So, on some mornings, we went to our dinner restaurant.  And served we were.  A line of wait staff greeted us at the door.  Then approximately 27 of them would monitor our table – stuff like fresh coffee poured after each sip.  Actually, I found it a bit overwhelming.  But our first photos of Istanbul, coming up, were shot through this window.]

[The first photo coming into Istanbul.  A bit of “6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon.”  The ship is the Lauritzen.  Libby Lauritzen of Omaha bank fame donated the funds to build the practice putting green at the Alexandria Golf Club.]

[Dominating the Istanbul “skyline” here is the Blue Mosque (on left, 6 minarets) and the Ayasofya (on the right).  These two mosques dominate the “must see” list of things to see in Istanbul.]

[Blue Mosque]

[Ayasofya]

[Topkapi Palace, closed while we were there.  Contrary to the movie of the same name, this is pronounced “top-cap-ah” (like the “i” at the end of Kusadasi).]

[Drat, some other ships got here first!  The Galata Tower (the Tower of Christ when built in 1348) with the conical top is on the left.]

[The Blue Mosque, Ayasofya, and Topkapi, from left to right.]

[The Galata Tower was the tallest structure in Istanbul (then Constantinople) when it was built, about 200′.]

[Rounding the bend . . .]

[Coming into port.  So, how we got here – coming up from the south through the Aegean Sea, to the Dardenelles, then the Sea of Marmara (where we took the first photos of the mosques), and rounded the bend into the Bosphorus, which connects to the Black Sea to the north.]

[Looking back into the Sea of Marmara.]

[Looking north up the Bosphorus.]

[The Bosphorus Bridge connects Europe and Asia.  Istanbul is the only city in the world on two continents – and it is rather large at 14 million inhabitants.  Its location made it the crossroads of the world, which is why, over the millennia, it was conquered by everyone – except the Ojibwa (who just weren’t interested).]

[We began parallel parking a vehicle longer than three football fields.]

[Our first close-ups of the city.]

[You know the tower!  😉 ]

[Parking complete, we were less than 15 meters from the ships in front and behind us!]

[The supervisor, Anne, and Bill at our favored back porch.]

[Ashore and on the move.  The Turkish tour guide asked me where I was from (a Canadian later asked me why all Americans when asked that question respond with a state – though on the trip I asked the same question of a couple who simply responded “Calgary”).  I said Minnesota.  He said, “Timberwolves!”  It’s a small world.  😉 ]

[We’re heading to the mosques, crossing the Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn.  Cool!]

[Ayasofya]

[Golden Horn Metro Bridge]

[Traveling a coastal highway, the driver’s troll riding shotgun.]

[Sea of Marmara Drive?]

I would like to digress to briefly discuss an issue of universal import.  To my knowledge, however, it has never been discussed in a serious manner ever before.  I have never seen any coverage of it in National Geographic, Scientific American, The New England Journal of Medicine, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Wear Daily, or Mad?  I have to wonder if it’s top secret, protected government information such as Area 51?   The issue is “Shoe-In-The-Road” syndrome.  It came to mind again while we were travelling in Europe.  We would be busing down an otherwise limited-access major thoroughfare, and there, in middle, or on the side, of the road would be a shoe.  Not a pair of shoes . . . but A shoe?  Now we have always noticed this phenomenon on the U.S. and wondered . . . how does a single shoe end up in that particular spot.  Did its wearer decide to jettison one, and only one, there for a specific reason?  If so, what could that reason be?  If the single piece of footwear was accidentally jettisoned, why would its wearer not realize that and try to recover it?  Do people travel down roadways and randomly toss shoes from moving vehicles?  It’s remains a total mystery to me, and I recommend DNA studies be conducted to apprehend the offending parties to determine motives.  Well, after 66 years, I’m glad I finally got that off my chest!

[Blue Mosque (yeah, there’ll be lots more of it).]

[We’re there!  🙂 ]

[It was about here that our guide, “Mr. Timberwolves,” told us we were going with another group.  Turned out great!  We were now in a group of six with just the Joaquins!]

[An inner court yard.  Our new guide was trying to move us to the front of the line for entry into the mosque.]

[Just another beautiful domed ceiling.  Ho-hum.  😉 ]

[It was waaaayyyyy high!]

[Remember, this was done in the days before Intel and Microsoft.]

[A couple of locals provide perspective.]

[Oh, it’s the girls in their “pick them up as you enter scarves and drop them off when you leave.”  My naked head was fine as it was.   Of course, we were also shoeless – I believe the supervisor was carrying them in her “Princess Cruises” complimentary bag.]

[They were vacuuming the rugs.  This is an active mosque where daily prayer sessions are held.  Not sure of the logistics of running large groups of tourists through in spite of that?]

[Exiting the back door, taking the garden mall to Ayasofya, upper center of the photo.]

[A last look back at the Blue Mosque?]

[Through the archway to the distant past.  A time portal?]

[Our new guide, soon to be seen, noted that although Turkey is 98 percent Muslim, Istanbul really is a multi-cultural, cosmopolitan city.  And if we saw women in traditional Muslim abaya garb, they would likely be foreign tourists themselves.]

[OK, we haven’t stopped looking at the Blue Mosque.]

[Ayasofya as seen from the mall.  Another lovely 90-degree day!  Oy!]

[Bill snaps a shot.]

[Inviting, on a hot day?]

[Still not giving up on the Blue Mosque.]

[Good-bye ole Blue.]

[And now to the Ayasofya.  And as impressive as the Blue Mosque is, and probably better known to tourists, this is THE place.]

[And here’s our guide, Cemil (ja-MEAL), explaining what we’re going to see inside.  He lived in Toronto for 9 years; thus, his English was better than ours!  🙂  He is also a guide used by Rick Steves and leads tours all over Turkey.]

[An opening fresco.  Yup, Christ.  In a mosque.]

[The place is ginormous!]

[Ayasofya was built in 537 AD.  It is more than 1,000 years older than the Blue Mosque.  The dome is an incredible 182 feet above the floor.  The finest example of Byzantine architecture, it is said to have changed the history of architecture.  For some reason thereafter, domes fell out of favor for a thousand years.  And when humanity decided to build them again, they had forgotten how?  I guess the original guys forgot to leave instructions on a flash drive.  Ayasofya became a secular museum in 1935.]

[It’s amazing to think this place was built more than 1,400 before the Golden Arches?]

[The chandelier was size equivalent.]

[I was getting a stiff neck from looking straight up.]

[The mihrab in the apse facing Mecca.]

[A golden phone booth?]

[The mihrab, up close and personal.]

[Bill marveling at the marvels.]

[A great place to go to feel small.]

[Let there be dark.]

[The view from the “second floor.”]

[Hey, anybody seen a restroom?]

[Fresco (see the following).]

[Hey, what’s everybody lookin’ at?]

[The Blue Mosque, again?]

[I’ll be darned!]

[Meanwhile, back inside Ayasofya, the wonders of modern lighting.]

[One last shot before we have to meet Cemil.]

[We went back outside . . . and then underground.  When Cemil said he was taking us to “the underground,” I assumed the Istanbul subway?  Nope, the Basilica Cistern!  😉  One of several hundred, this is the largest at 453′ by 212′ and supported by 336 marble columns (recycled from other places) all 30 feet tall.  The place held almost 3 million cubic feet of water, making it a difficult place to defeat by siege.  An amazing sight!]

[The lighting casts an eerie, yet warm, glow to the place.]

[The only known (in Turkey?) example of a teardrop column.  They don’t know where it came from?]

[Hey, I think I saw a tarpon?]

[And a place where an upside-down Medusa head forms a column base . . .]

[And a sideways Medusa head.  You never know what you’re going to get from recycling?]

[A farewell to the cistern.]

[Back above ground, don’t get hit by the light rail train.]

[Cemil’s leading us to the Hippodrome Square.  If you’re old enough, think of the place where they held the chariot race in Ben-Hur.]

[The Square is loaded with obelisks.  We’ll pay a brief visit to each (because who knows which one may be your favorite?).]

[The building is perched on the sphendone, an area that was raised to support the curved end of the track to race back to the starting point.]

[Cemil and the supervisor enjoy a break in the shade.]

[You guys ready for lunch?]

[Cemil leads us down “Lombard Street” (OK, think San Francisco) around the curve of the sphendone.]

[We’ll check out the rug place later.  For now, we’re in front of our restaurant.]

[And here’s the sphendone (note the building on top) that was built to level out the track at the U-turn end.]

[I vote for this place.]

[Teri in front of the restaurant recommended by Rick Steves (from Cemil, no doubt).]

[I believe a chicken kebab for the supervisor . . .]

[And a veggie kebab for me.  Good eats, if voluminous!]

[Cemil and Bill dig in.]

[Mmmmm, and a gigantic loaf of lavash (Turkish bread).]

[On to the neighboring rug store.  The weaver is making a silk rug, double knotting so fast she had to slow down for the demonstration.  It will take her two years to make this rug, and it will last 300 years.  The cost will be about the same as a year’s tuition at St. Olaf.]

Little Known Fact (I say “little known” because I did not know it; thus, by definition making it “little known”) learned from the store owner:  You have probably wondered how the marble was cut in the manufacture and construction of all the antiquities displayed herein?  I know I always thought by diamond-encrusted ban saws powered by solar panels.  But I was wrong.  The marble was cut by silk thread!  That stuff has to be stronger than 30-pound test monofilament fishing line!  And it may explain why silk rugs last for 300 years . . . and why dry cleaners charge so much to clean apparel made from it (and, honestly, I have never tried to cut anything with a silk tie or shirt)!

[Although they weren’t giving us “the hard sell” (wink, wink, nod, nod), they had several guys roll about 20 different rugs – plus they gave us Turkish coffee and Bill & I accepted a small “adult” beverage.  The rugs were beautiful, in silk, wool, or cotton – but none of us were willing to make that kind of 5-figure decision on such short notice.]

[We figured this store had to have several million euros worth of rugs, pottery, and jewelry in stock – hope they have good insurance!]

[Up on the store’s roof to enjoy the views.  There’s the sphendone again on the right.]

[The ubiquitous Blue Mosque, again?]

[A Hippodrome obelisk and “Lombard Street.”]

[The boats are gathering in the Bosphorus.  Apparently the limited width of the strait requires one-way traffic – so these ships are waiting their turn for when the flow reverses.]

[Good-bye to our restaurant.]

[Now we’re being led to our last stop in Istanbul.  A place of danger and intrigue.  A place where shoppers of the supervisor’s ilk could get lost for months.  We heading for the Grand Bazaar!]

[Down “Rodeo Drive” to get there.]

[An “opening” ahead.]

[Keep going, we can make it!]

[Heed ye, all who enter!]

[A final glance down a side street before we enter.]

[We’re in, and not a single security check.  The ultimate place for “Let’s Make A Deal!”]

[This goes on for  . . . well, who knows.  I forgot how many shops and miles of aisles there are herein.]

[Shop till you drop!]

[Need a lamp?]

[Oh-oh, I think we’ve ventured off the main “aisle.”  I hope someone laid a trail of bread crumbs.]

[If you can’t find it here, it doesn’t exist.]

[Anne found something to take home to colleagues.]

[I left the Bazaar early (shopping makes me dizzy) to find a table for us out on “Rodeo Drive.”]

[I was sharing a table with the gentleman on the left.  I was a little concerned.  He was always on the phone, and people would occasionally come up to him and exchange money for small packets?]

[We had a walk back to our bus, but our driver had parked in an area where we wouldn’t be caught up in tour bus traffic!  🙂 ]

[Good-bye, Galata Tower.]

[Back on board our ship, going up the glass elevator looking down on the atrium.]

[There’s lots of ferries between Europe and Asia.  They’re working on a tunnel.]

[Looking to the Sea of Marmara.]

[Good-bye, Istanbul!  It’s been good to know you.]

[The Bosphorus Bridge. as we head to Mykonos.]

[Good-bye, dock.]

[Let us gather at the railing.]

[Bill shares the back railing with Mickey Mantle.  I didn’t even know he was on board?  😉 ]

[Anne joins Bill.]

[A final good-bye to Ayasofya.]

[A final good-bye to the Blue Mosque.]

[We all say good-bye.]

[OK, a parting shot of Ayasofya (I liked the lighting).]

[The parts of the cityish city we didn’t see.]

[And we still have Mykonos, Naples, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Cannes, and Barcelona to go!]

[Back in the atrium for our evening cool down . . .]

[With the Alegria String Quartet.]

Up next:  Mykonos (or the Grape Stomp)

[The new high school logo!  🙂 ]

We had to break up the cruise to catch up on stuff.  Blogging the cruise is taking longer than the cruise.  But with the deft and meticulous coverage I am giving to it, I’m sure Rick Steves will consider going into the auto body repair business by the time I’m through.

[Stuff began with an “emergency call” saying Kohler (girls’ basketball coach, Wendy) needed chaperone help for her class at Miltona Golf Club on Thursday, September 12.  Ever ready to be of service, fellow Super Fan, Larry McCoy, and I arrived promptly that morning, meaning we had time for a full cup of coffee before the buses arrived.  Much to our delight, we were assigned the front 9 where the group on the 1st tee consisted of four lady (well, they call themselves “ladies”) athletes of whom we are Super Fans.  “Batting” here is Karly Betterman, of basketball, cross-country and track fame; and with her is Sarah Bruzek, of soccer, basketball, and softball fame.]

[Go, Baby Bruiser!]

[Joining Karly and Sarah were Amanda Christianson (gray top), of volleyball, basketball, and softball fame; and Emily Kuennen (blue top), of volleyball and softball fame.  BTW, Amanda has signed to play basketball for St. Cloud State.  🙂 ]]

[They all decided to . . .]

[ . . . stay with their current varsity sports.  See, I told you golf was hard!]

[That afternoon and evening Karly would compete in a cross-country meet (placed 3rd on the team headed by the nationally-ranked Hasz sisters), Sarah would play soccer (the Cards won), and Amanda and Emily had a home volleyball match, which became my first sports coverage of the season.  I got there early enough to catch the JV1 in celebration.]

[Since you can’t tell the players without a scorecard.]

[This is the future.]

[Both Card JV teams beat their Fergus Falls counterparts.]

[JV coach Jackie Bucholz, of ‘Y’ and winery fame,  is delighted for her team!  🙂 ]

[We’re so happy!]

[Editor of the Cardinal Connection, your guide to all things Jeffersonian.]

[The varsity takes the floor with head coach, Becky Schlichting.  It was parents’ night.]

[The opposition – the dreaded Otters.  Two-time defending conference champs and ranked 3rd in the state.  Ooooo, they look tough!]

[The AD and the editor.]

[The coin flip – the Cards served first so I guess we won?]

[The Otters star, Brianna Rasmusson.  She’s going to NDSU on a volleyball scholarship.  I thought she could have played D-1 basketball – she’s a 6-foot tall point guard who can shoot the 3.]

[And we’ll have fun, fun, fun till daddy takes the T-bird away . . .]

[“The Voices,” poised for a new season!]

[Jackie exits, stage left.  Well, I think she’s going to find some volleyballs, a necessary accessory to the sport.]

[Jackie bats warm-up balls till the players can take it no longer.  We have the aforementioned seniors Emily (6) and Amanda (5) bookending Morgan Melrose (4), a sophomore.  Emily and Amanda are the team giants at 5’10”.  This is the smallest Cardinal team in my limited history, but as y0u know, you’d rather have quickness and athleticism in lieu thereof.]

[Get ’em, Emily!]

[Watch that backspin!]

[Name that player and win a cookie.]

[Wensia Johnson (10), a 5’8″ sophomore.  Jackie says she has a 26″ vertical.  Not a surprise, since she already has multiple state records in track and field.]

[Amanda]

[Student section – most are off playing other sports!]

[Your 2013 Alexandria Cardinals volleyball team, with a return engagement from the blue garbage cans.  All are beyond excited.  😉 ]

[The players:  The aforementioned Morgan (4).]

[The aforementioned Emily (6).]

[ Alexis Stern (8), 5’7″ sophomore.]

[Brooke Swanson (16), 5’10” junior.]

[Liz Schultz (1), 5’9″ junior.]

[ Kalley Bistodeau (2), 5’6″ junior.]

[The aforementioned Amanda (5).]

[Katie Dolan (7), 5’6″ junior. ]

[The aforementioned Wensia (10).]

[Amanda Haack (11), 5’5″ junior]

[GretchenWatkins (3 – libero), 5’5″ junior.]

[LET’S PLAY VOLLEYBALL!]

[The serve, from Katie.]

[The front line of defense:  Amanda C. (5), Wensia (10), and a player with her arms in the air.]

[The Otters Rasmusson attempts a block on a Cardinal with her arm in the air.]

[Rasmusson anchors the Otters D.]

[An Otter kill – saw way too many of these in the first two games.]

[Amanda C. serves.]

[Wensia rises to the occasion; the Otters rise to block.]

[The Cards go up for a block.]

[Oooh, I hope it’s out!]

[Appears to be Amanda H. and her jump serve.]

[Our point, high fives all around!]

[Amanda H. retreats to serve.]

[Another jumper.]

[Kalley serves.]

[The Otters took game 1, 18-25.  The score was a true indication of the game.  The Otters set beautifully the whole game.  It seemed their first hit would go right to the net making it easy to set up kills.  The Cards were struggling to get in position to attempt kills, their first hit often going back or to the side.]

[C’mon, we can do it!]

[Amanda H. notices a flaw in the laminate.]

[It’s . . . raining?]

[Don’t you wave your arms at me like that!]

[Amanda C. hides, a ploy to shadow Rasmusson.]

[Wensia and Emily go up to stuff.]

[Amanda C. serves.]

[1 – 2 – 3, Jump!]

[Stuff it!!!]

[Aaahh, my relief has arrived.  He apparently has some experience in the coaching game.]

The Otters also took game 2, 23 – 25, closer but a similarly played game.  At this point, I made the decision that won the game.  “Weakie” has always called me the “dark cloud,” i.e. a jinx.  I took my tired still Love Boat wracked body and left the premises.  Absent a seat cushion, I didn’t think I could make it if the Cards made a comeback.  And, of course, they did.  I was aware that the Otter superior height had not been a factor in the game.  They just set better.  I was delighted to see in the Connection that the tide turned when the Cardinals improved their sets.  It was nice to be affirmed as an expert in the field.  So, apparently, our quick leapers went to work, and as they have already done a few times this season, came back to win 25 – 19, 26 – 24, and 15 – 13.  An amazing win!  🙂

In other news:  It’s time for an update on the new high school, photos by me on September 9, with the last two from the site webcam on the 11th.

[Scheduled to come on line next year!]

[On September 10, Cherry Street Books sponsored a signing and dining at the Alexandria Golf Club for William Kent (“Kent” to his close personal friends) Krueger’s new book, Tamarack County.  The supervisor poses with the author and his wife Diane.]

[“Weakie” checked in with a couple of photos in downtown Mpls.  Here Viv with MTM.]

[Freshman Shanee’ Herd made the cover of St. Kate’s on-line sports page.  🙂 ]

[And, finally, it’s the supervisor’s 50th class reunion.]

[Her bio . . .]

[The dedication was VERY meaningful for her . . .]

[She said Ms. DeVaney called her into her office one day and “ordered” her to go to college.  Ruthie said she hadn’t planned on going to college until then.  Now there’s a life changing experience!  🙂 ]

Up next:  Istanbul (or maybe the Grape Stomp).