How can I describe what a magical day this has been? Today was my birthday and I have to confess that special days are particularly hard when you’ve lost your other half. Today my new friends and the wonderful crew on this ship have given me a day I shall never forget.
It actually began last night when I got back to my cabin. I found a big vase full of beautiful flowers and my bed and bathroom strewn with rose petals. This morning when I stepped out of my cabin my two stewardesses were there to sing Happy Birthday. I think they were waiting for me! I went to the Colonnade for breakfast and the wait staff appeared with pancakes with a candle, strawberries and whipped cream and I was serenaded again.
The middle of the day was lazy. I went ashore and had some retail therapy, which I probably shouldn’t have, but oh, well, birthdays come but once a year. I’ve been to Kusadasi before and the big thing to see here is Ephesus which I visited a couple of times In the past so I didn’t make the trip again. I was saving myself for the evening’s events.
I shall digress for a moment from birthday things to write a little about Ephesus. About a half hour from Kusadasi is the ancient city of Ephesus (think of St. Paul and letters to the Ephesians.). This area was inhabited since the Neolithic era, 6000 BC. The city grew and gained importance during the Hellenistic period as a Greek city. After Rome conquered this part of the world, Ephesus really became a major city, ranking fourth behind Rome, Alexandria and Antioch. Some estimates say that it had a population of 250,000. It was a port city during that time but it’s now inland because the river silted up. It was sacked by Goths in the 3rd century AD and was destroyed by earthquakes over the millennia. Today only a very small portion of the city has been excavated, and the buildings that have been are among the most beautiful Roman ruins. The Terrace Houses which were residences of wealthy people have some of the most incredible mosaics which are being meticulously restored.
Back to birthdays. Dinner was served early for those of us going to tonight’s special Seabourn event. At dinner another cake appeared with another serenade. Then at 7 PM we, a couple of hundred of us, boarded buses and were driven to Ephesus for a classical concert performed by the Aegean Chamber Orchestra at the Great Theater of Ephesus. We walked up what was called the Harbor Road in Roman times and at the edge of the theater, tables and chairs were set up with wine and hors d’oeuvres for us to sit and enjoy the concert. The tables were candlelit and as the sun went down lights came on in the ruins around us as the orchestra played. It was positively magical! It was dark and a beautiful starlit night when the concert ended and we boarded the buses to go back to Kusadasi and our ship. But wait, there’s more.
We were dropped off at the cruise terminal and walked down the dock. There was music playing and as we got closer I could see all the cabin attendants and the waiters, sea crew, cruise staff lining both sides of a red carpet and as I approached they unfurled a big Happy Birthday banner and serenaded me again. It really did take my breath away! There cannot be another more wonderful group of people than these hard-working, remarkable Seabourn crew.
But there’s more. I dropped my things off in my cabin and went down to the pool deck where there was a dance party. Because dinner had been so early (and heaven forbid we might be famished) there was a buffet. (I didn’t eat anything but they were passing around with trays of some kind of apricot brandy martini and I did try those.) Once again we women got up and danced while most of the men just sat around. Then Robert, the Cruise Director, took the microphone and came over and sang Pretty Woman to me. What can I say? It has been the most special day I can remember in a long time. I guess I’m going to have to spend every future birthday on a Seabourn ship.
After joining in the conga line to the song “We are family” and a couple more martinis, it was time for me to “conga” on back to my cabin. All the festivities made turning a year older worth it. It has been such a special day I shall never forget it. There’s a reason that people love this cruise line.
Anyway, that was my day. I should have gotten more photos, but I was so surprised that I didn’t always remember to do it, but I’ve included a few.
3 comments:
Sounds like a wonderful day!! Very glad things are going well.
I love this day—- just brings tears to my eyes! I’m so glad it was special and, you are right, Seabourn is a very special cruise line. Happy, happy birthday!
Ann your birthday will be hard to top that. Birthday 🥳
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