A lovely warm early morning arrival with not a breath of wind to flutter our flags, heralded our arrival into Kusadasi and one more mini highlight of the cruise as passengers opted for the wondrous sights of the ancient city of Ephesus.
Passing Pelican Island on our approach, the sea looked so inviting even though, being still Could, the word “looked” was almost certainly the operative word!

Ephesus is really an wonderful location where you can drink in the culture of days of yore as you pass the Library of Celsus and the Temple of Hadrian or check-out the massive Grand Theatre where St Paul preached and walk along the Arcadian Way following in the footsteps of Anthony and Cleopatra.

Nonetheless there is an, insiders’ tip, an “alternative tour”! When the morning rounds have been completed, meetings have been put to rest and the paperwork has been caught up on, a general feel-very good factor creeps in and this feeling needs to be fed further and what better way than a fast run ashore for a proper Turkish shave in a conventional father and son barber’s shop.
We gents look at ourselves in the mirror each morning and shaving becomes a chore that needs to be completed as part of our morning ablutions. It doesn’t have to be a chore even so and, to anybody who hasn’t experienced it yet, I can thoroughly recommend the expertise of lying back in the barber’s chair and letting a true skilled deftly wield a cut-throat razor over your chin. Not as soon as but twice does he perform this task in order to make certain a skin as soft, smooth and supple as a freshly born baby’s bum!
Then of course there’s the “ear waxing”! Ow ……..! This procedure rids your outer ears of all the tiny hairs that you’d never be able to reach your self. Some barbers do this with a modest burning cotton pad on a wooden stick and, with a flick of the wrist, burn the very same hairs! The “stingy” bit is still to come although and, with fresh, lemon cologne, a face, head, shoulder and arm massage ensues just before you head off into the clean fresh air outside feeling like a million pounds.
A quick cursory glance at the watch tells us that, yes, we have time for a light fresh fish and salad lunch soon after all!
Michael Lobban, Hotel Director
Boat Buddy Cruise Blog