You Make Me Feel Like Dancing; Crystal Ambassador Hosts.

Can you imagine spending months on end on a cruise ship and getting paid to mingle and dance? Will you get your own room? Who pays the airfare? What is the catch? (excuse the pun)

These answers vary by cruise line but Crystal Cruises, unlike many of the other lines hire directly. Most Hosts go through an agency. An example is http://www.theworkingvacation.com/

An audition is very much required and there is tons of screening but dancing, being personable and charming are requirements!

If you can’t Dance with the Stars maybe you can Dance on the Seas.

Turkish Rugs; Buyer Beware

“Your camera for a rug?” The look on my face must have asked if he was joking because the man replied, “I am serious.” I bet he was. There are no shortages of rugs in Istanbul and we happened to be walking through an area, which was an extravaganza of rug boutiques.

Rug weaving is still very much an ancient craft since. Weavers begin with wool and work their way up to silk. Silk is the strongest natural fiber on earth. There are many kinds of rugs. Wool on cotton. Wool on wool. Silk on silk. Silk on cotton. Mercerized. Even the fringes have meaning. Braided fringes are more significant than non-braided. How tight was it weaved? How old is the piece? What is the origin of the motif? Where is the region it was created? Is it really hand-made or machine-made?

If more than one person is working on a rug the weavers need to be the same height to create straight lines.

If I knew rugs, I probably could have bartered the deal of all deals, which if properly selected could have been worth many times the value of the trade, but I am far from a rug connoisseur. Rug prices are purposefully inflated in order to come down and I would have no idea where to start. They are all unique and to me, it is visually chaotic.

For a purveyor of rugs there was a deal to be had, but like purchasing a camera, you need to know what you want going in.

Are you looking for a throwaway, or a camera that will last? Do you want a point and shoot, or professional quality?

When it comes to Turkish rugs, what I know is that I don’t know a thing, so I still have my camera.

Crystal Cuisine; A Blessing and A Sin

The Crystal Serenity is a food extravaganza, a gastronomic sensation and proof that quantity can also be quality. The head chef is a gourmet genius and the waiters show a true interest in the guests offering a real personal touch.

There is no lack of inspiration and way too much variety to sample every mouth-watering dish, and that is just in the main dining room.

Every night the head waiter cooked some new flambee desert specialty. Whether the night’s attire is casual or formal, the presentation is artful and the meal truly fine dining.

The specialty restaurants are separate and each distinctly different in ambiance and cuisine. The only similarity is quality. The sushi is fresh and creative, the pan-Asian food worth tasting and the Italian is innovative as well. And if want to skip the dining expereince, quicker meals are offered and proof that not all hamburgers are related equal.

Feel free to sail if you are a vegan, a diabetic or if you adhere to a strict-no carb lifestyle as they have sugar-free this, no-carb that, and vegan of both. But please don’t sit with me; though I could lose a few pounds, this is not the time or the place that I want to think about it.

Cha Cha Cha

With elite clientele ranging from young honeymooners to retired art collectors, why am I always seated within ‘hearing’ distance of the only obnoxious table of people on the ship? You know the table I am referencing. The lady with a smoker’s voice who has to add “Cha Cha Cha “ after each verse of the staff singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to a families patriarch enjoying his extended family while celebrating one of the sweetest moments in life. I guess you can dress them up but you can’t remove the ignorance.

The Road to Ephesus; A Dichotomy

Very early in the morning, we were on a bus traveling along the Bodrum coast to see Ephesus, One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The moon was still fading into the sky. I was certainly tired but I didn’t want to close my eyes and miss a thing. The coastal areas are extremely green from the morning dew and the proximity to the ocean.

Colorful bougainvillea lined the stone walls overlooking the Aegean Sea. A unique-looking Mosque was in the background. As we passed into the town of Milas, the area seemed to be getting denser and denser. We didn’t pass even one factory but there was lots of agriculture.

Our guide, Ahmad, explained that Turkey is one of a few countries in the world, which can sustain itself. They grow cotton, corn, watermelon, pistachio nuts, figs, hazelnuts, apricots, pears, and raisins, to name a few. We were able to sample figs stuffed with walnuts which were absolutely mouth-watering…and that says a lot coming from a non-fig lover. Another fact...July is when fig harvesting begins here.

Ahmet entertained us with all sorts of facts about Turkey. I had no idea that Turkey has the second largest population in Europe and 20% of the people live in Istanbul. I was surprised that Turkey's largest industry is automotive. I was shocked that unleaded fuel is over $11 US a gallon.

Turkey has a 90% literacy rate. And all students are given a mandatory standardized test and the results of that test determines what they can study in college as well as which institution they may attend. He explained the citizens are trying to change this system.

The average starting income of a professional in Turkey (examples would be a nurse or a teacher) is the equivalent of $5,000 US. This was shocking as the poverty level in Turkey is considered earning below $18,000 US.

Our bus continued toward Ephesus. Impressive greenery was on all sides. I was admiring the beauty of the fruit trees, and smiling as we drove past an older woman leading her two cows on a walk.

Then seemingly out of nowhere, there were several strip malls containing, out of all things, outlets. Benetton, Ceylon, Puma, Lee, Converse. Starbucks… are you kidding? Or worse yet… McDonalds?

If you could spend an extra minute at the fascinating Ephesus Library, the Ephesus Theatre, or the Ephesus Indoor Museum that displays, for example, surgical tools, which are 2000 years old, or the statue of Artemis … would you dare to stop at an outlet mall?

Crystal Clear Differences

Having traveled on many different cruise lines, the difference on Crystal is Crystal Clear. I will say that the villas on the newer NCL ships are pretty amazing but I wouldn't pick a ship on the room alone.

Our veranda room on the Crystal Serenity is a little bland but very adequate. Updating to flat-screen televisions would be appropriate, but that is far from an issue. There is a refrigerator in each room stocked with water and soft drinks; the housekeeping staff is always on top of fresh ice in the ice bucket and clean glasses are always available.

The bathrooms are very nice with granite double sinks, plenty of over-sized towels, a shower-tub combination, high quality amenities and as soon as you use them, they are replaced.

Today's Top Crystal Differences:

1. The meals are excellent. Food is quality, variety and adequate quantity. You can eat in the main dining room every night without qualms.

2. The Pool Deck is a pleasure. No need to throw your book on a chair to 'save it' as there are plenty for all.

3. Loud voices don't fit in. The obnoxious guest is more like an extra-terrestrial. And rude people are the exceptions but they are not the rule.

4. There are rarely lines anywhere and in the few instances where we found ourselves in a line, no one is complaining and the fellow-passengers actually wait patiently.

5. Buffet plates aren't over-loaded with food and no one is grabbing. Maybe it the sophistication of the clientele being health conscious, just the sophistication of the clientele.

6. Staff anticipates your needs. The service is outstanding. We have yet to meet a staff member who is not personable. They remember your names and preferences, which is impressive!

7. When you ask for something you are given a brand name, never a cheap substitute. Perrier. Coke. Etc.

8. There are no loudspeakers busting into your privacy. There are tons of things to do and you are responsible to read the daily events in the Reflections newsletter.

9. The entertainment is top quality - from the headline shows, to the educational lectures, to the classes at sea.

10. Laundry facilities available for your use or send clothing for to have them laundered. It is your choice.

And speaking about laundry, we overheard a woman telling her teenage daughter, "I don't do my own laundry at home. Why am I doing your laundry here?" (Maybe who does your laundry isn't your choice.)

A Day in Corfu

We spent a few valuable hours in Corfu today.

Our driver added to Corfu’s ambiance. I would suggest Spiros Tsirigotis not to anyone but to everyone! He can be contacted directly at info@spirobus.com. His van was spotless and his driving comforting.

We thought about visiting the local hospital as years ago our daughter spent some time in their ICU from a peritonsillar abscess which could have happened anywhere and thank-God it happened right where it did, as Corfu does not take a back seat regarding their medical care.

Instead, we headed to the Achillion Palace, which was built in the 1890’s and was named because King Otto’s niece, Austrian Empress Elizabeth admired Achilles. The Palace has lavish rooms, beautiful statues, marble everywhere and of course, magnificent views.

We passed many private beaches and stopped at several unique photo opportunities from a lone ostrich grazing behind a fence, to the areas where the local gypsies reside. We strolled through Corfu’s delightful picturesque but touristy Old Town with its romantic tavernas and local color.

Spiros was a plethora of local information. He is native to the island, a father of two teenagers and married to a wonderful woman for over 20 years. He suggested a wonderful spot high in the mountains but we opted for Restaurant Limani in Paleokastritsa. Instead of the fresh fish and lobster we had wonderful mousaka, pastitada and sofrito, The waiter thought I was ordering way too much food but I always order way too much food, especially when I want to taste everything and that I did!

They welcomed my picture taking and my peeking into their spotless kitchen and ogling the homemade baklava.

I now know that Kum Quat is a traditional Corfiot product used for candies and liquers, among other things, and that nets are used to collect olives from the olive trees, and that the airport’s runway is barely long enough to handle large planes but you don’t need to worry as the local drivers know when to stop for take off and landings…that is... just in case.