Grounded: The Art of Looking Down (Part 15)

Standing on my patio with a rescued stray that would become my sister’s pet cat Amelia.

Walking in the woods near my sister’s house I stumbled upon raccoon tracks (above) and bear tracks (below).

Standing in the driveway of a prospective property while helping my friend look for an apartment.

Walking the streets of Rome.

Standing on the beautiful marble floor of The Pantheon, with the reflected light from the oculus.

Sitting in a lounge chair on the deck of the cruise ship around 1:00 am with my reflection, the moon in the top left, and the volcanic island of Stromboli visible between the gap in the glass.

Letting the tide wash over me at Kertos Beach on the island of Crete.

Enjoying The Mediterranean from our room on the ship.

Mom and I admiring the intricate marble floor of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Strait of Messina

Our second day at sea was spent traveling the narrow Strait of Messina between the Italian mainland and the island of Sicily.

The early morning moon.

A small rainbow in the mist on the side of the ship.

The coast of Italy.

The coast of Sicily.

Heading towards the front of the ship to get the best views.

Sicily to the left and Italy to the right.

Mom sitting under the balcony for the best views.

An Italian town with a small beach catching the sunlight between the clouds.

Mom enjoying more beautiful views from our balcony.

Finishing the delicious ouzo I got in Santorini.

Later in the afternoon we passed by the volcanic island of Stromboli again. There were too many clouds to view any magma, but it was still lovely to see.

My family’s reflection in one of the windows of the ship.

Our final sunset over the Mediterranean Sea.

Chania

Much like Türkiye, I never imagined being on the island of Crete but it was an easy place to fall in love with. The landscape was rugged, the atmosphere was relaxed, and everyone we spoke with was so friendly. I truly wish we had been able to stay longer.

Since this was our shortest day in port and Crete has many beautiful beaches, I knew I wanted to spend the time swimming. My parents opted to stay on the cruise ship while my sisters and I had a lovely day at Kertos Beach.

Early morning in the port of Souda.

Jenny and Liz at Kertos Beach.

Myself, Jenny, and Liz.

Myself and Jenny. Photo by Liz Kasper.

Finally getting to swim in the Mediterranean.

Myself, Jenny, and Liz.

A paraglider floating over the beach.

Jenny, myself, and Liz.

Photo by Liz Kasper.

We stopped at Manos Restaurant for an incredible lunch right on the water.

The lovely street view.

Delicious bread and olive oil.

Our table full of tasty treats.

Our server actually surprised us with dessert on the house. An absolutely wonderful cake with a hint of citrus and the creamiest vanilla ice cream I have ever had.

Back at the port.

Some of the beautiful vistas as we sailed away from Crete.

Mom and dad enjoying the sunset.