The Intentional Travelers

Kusadasi, Turkey • A Port Of Call

Kusadasi is a beach resort town and a favorite cruise ship destination. It is only 12 miles from the port to the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the areas major attractions. Kusadasi is considered one of the most important destination cities in the Aegean because of its important historical sites that include Ephesus and its House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Artemis, Seven Sleepers, Didyma, Priene, Miletos, Hierapolis – and the spa town of Pamukkale.

Kusadasi has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures during the day are usually in the mid to high 90’s. The city is sunny for 300 days a year, making it a popular winter vacation destination.

Where Your Ship Docks

Cruise ships tie up at a pier near the waterfront of the city and Pigeon Island. Kusadasi is a small resort town that offers extensive shopping, nice beaches and easy access to some of the most impressive ruins in the world.

Transportation

An easy walk from the pier is Scala Nuoava Village and its bazaar for shopping that will take only a couple of minutes, it’s only 5 minutes to the nearest grocier and pharmacy, 10 minutes to Hand of Peace Statue and 15 minutes to Pigeon Island with its Güvercinada Fortress and picturesque harbor. For the most popular destinations near the port a tour is highly recommended. If you want to go off on your own there are a number of the major rental car companies near the port. Rates are usually under $25 a day.

Money

The currency is the Turkish Lira with an exchange rate of around 1 Lira to US$0.15. Credit cards are welcome at most businesses and there are ATM machines and exchange offices near the port.

Attractions

Kusadasi offers some excellent shopping bargains like Persian rugs but it is most famous for its location near some of the most significant archaeological sites in the world. It is also popular for its beautiful beaches, lively nightlife and the hospitality of its people.

The area was once the gateway to Asia from Europe and boasted one of the most prosperous cities in the region. The Greek/Roman city of Ephesus. It was visited by St. Paul and St. John and during those visits the apostles christianized the city. It is also where the Virgin Mary is believed to have spent the last years of her life.

Ephesus – was an ancient Greek city on the coast. It was built in the 10th century BC by Ionian Greek colonists. The legend says that Androclos when he searched for a new Greek settlement site, he turned to the Delphi oracles for guidance. During the Classical Greek era it was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League. The city came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC.

House of the Virgin Mary – The house was discovered in the 19th century from the descriptions in the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a Roman Catholic nun and visionary. The Catholic Church has never taken a position on the authenticity of the house, yet it still attracts a steady flow of pilgrims. Anne Catherine Emmerich was sainted by Pope John Paul II.
The Temple of Artemis was also called Artemesium, temple at Ephesus and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancint World. The massive temple was built by Croesus, king of Lydia, about 550 BC.
The Cave of the Seven Sleepers – In Christian and Islamic tradition, the Seven Sleepers is a story of a group of youths who hid inside the cave near the city of Ephesus around 250 AD to escape religious persecution and emerged some 300 years later looking just as they had when they entered.

Didyma Priene and Miletos – The major ruins of Didyma are located a short distance to the northwest. It sits on what in antiquity formed the Milesian Peninsula. Didyma is the most significant site in the territory of the great ancient city of Miletus. Historically the connection between Miletus and Didyma was by ship, but sediments from the Meander River silted up and closed the harbor of Miletus.
Hierapolis – Pamukkale – “Holy City” is about 50 miles west of Kusadasi and was an ancient Greek city sited on hot springs in classical Phrygia. Its ruins are adjacent to modern Pamukkale in Turkey and currently comprise an archaeological museum designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ketchikan, Port of Call Alaska

By 1936 there were seven canneries working, producing almost two million cases of salmon a season. The need for lumber fostered the Ketchikan Spruce Mills built in 1903, which operated for over 70 years. The lumber industry collapsed when the Clinton administration moved to reduce timber cutting in Alaska by having the U.S. Forest service cancel contracts for timber in March 1997 on Federal land.

The town gets its name from the Tongass and Tlingit Indians who named their fish camp kitschk-hin, meaning stream with “thundering wings of eagles.” While Skagway attracted gold prospectors, Ketchikan was a treasure trove of abundant fish and timber that attracted American settlers to the area. In 1885, Mike Martin bought 160 acres from Chief Kyan to found the township. The first cannery was built in 1886 near the mouth of Ketchikan Creek and by 1912 four more were in operation.

Where Your Ship Docks

Cruise ships will normally dock at the piers right along the historic areas waterfront. A number of shops and malls nearby have public facilities. There is no terminal and disembarking requires the use of the ships boarding ramp.

Transportation

Ketchikan is a small town with the central district encompassing only a few dozen blocks. Most trips out of town involve specific nature tours by bus, car, boat or plane. The town is located on one of Alaska’s large coastal islands with most of it covered in large tracts of undeveloped forest.

Currency

Ketchikan is an American town and uses the U.S. Dollar. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM machines are available.

Attractions

Ketchikan is home to Tongass Historical Museum along with a waterfront cannery exhibit and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Salmon fishing charters are readily available and you can have your catch flash frozen or smoked and couriered home (a bit pricey but worth the bragging rights). Additional tours include wilderness expeditions, trips to the Misty Fjords and whale watching expeditions.

Shopping offers a number of opportunities with local native crafts being the traditional gifts and souvenirs. Locally smoked and canned salmon should be on everyone’s shopping list featuring reasonable prices and being a great take-home prize.

Mountain Landscapes • A Photographic Gallery

Wilderness, amazing National Parks, incredible mountain vistas, recreational destinations for hiking, camping and climbing, and diverse mountain terranes are all part of our experiences. Here are a few of our favorite mountain destinations.

They have always been called the smokey mountains and for good reason. The mix of the climate and the old rounded mountain landscape seems to be perfect for the development of morning fog. As the mornings wear on it takes a long time for the Sun to reach into the valleys and burn off the fog. The Smokey Mountains of North Carolina.

The native Americans named these rugged peaks teewinot which was later shortened to Tetons by the Europeans. They are part of the ancestral homeland of the Shoshone people, who used the Native word teewinot meaning “many pinnacles” to describe the range. The Teton National Park is right next door to Yellowstone Park in Teton County, Wyoming.

Called The Alaska Range these mountains include Denali Mountain (formally Mount McKinely), the tallest peak in America and actually the tallest mountain in the world when measured from its base to peak top. One of the most challenging mountains to climb it attracts climbers from around the world.

It’s obvious where Australia’s Blue Mountains get their name and they are only a short train ride out of Sydney. With their incredible views, great hiking trails and nearness to a major metropolitan area they’re a favorite day trip for local residents.

Named Tierra del fuego or the “land of fire” by explorers, this end of civilization with the worlds most southern city. It is also the southern end of The Pan American Highway. Across the Beagle Channel from the Tierra del Fuego National Park is a rugged range of mountains with the tallest peak named Monte King Scott. Rarely visited with only a handful of climbers attempting the challenge.

In Antarctica due south of Tierra del fuego in South America is Paradise Bay. It sits on a peninsula its backbone being a range of rugged mountains. Because Antarctica has been so unexplored there are very few named peaks on the continent. Paradise Bay is becoming a popular destination for adventure travel expeditions and cruise ships.

Utah brags about having the most National Parks in America and Zion boasts some of the most rugged peaks as well as some of the most diverse terrain. Any planned visit to the parks of Utah should set aside several days to explore Zion National Park. One tip is to look into trail reservations with the National Park Service as some trails require them.

Utah features some of the most beautiful landscapes in America from parks like Arches, Capital Reef, Canyonlands and Bryce. Whatever time you allocate to visiting Utah parks it won’t be enough.

Traveling from sea level to 10,000 feet at the summit of Haleakalā is only a few miles as the crow flies but probably an hours drive switching back and fourth as you climb. The Hawaiian island of Maui is actually two volcanic cones joined by a small piece of flat land. The larger volcano to the southeast is Haleakalā featuring miles of fantastic hiking trails through a truly otherworldly landscape.

Visiting Israel’s Ports Of Call

Visiting The Cruise Ports Of Call In Israel

There are 116 miles of Mediterranean coast in western Israel stretching from Lebanon in the north to the Gaza Strip in the south. The two major ports of call for cruise ships are Ashdod just north of Gaza and Haifa another 70 miles north. Ashdod is within a short drive of Tel Aviv and usually the port for tours to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and surrounding areas while the port of Haifa is near to Acre the stronghold of the Christian Crusaders.

Due to the conflict and the geo-politics involving Israel and the region, security has to be a concern. Israel works very hard at keeping their cities safe providing protection to its visitors and most travel experts strongly recommend traveling in organized tours while visiting.

Where Your Ship Docks – Both of these ports are very similar as far as docking locations and facilities. They are both working industrial ports situated some distance from city centers which makes walking out and access to public transportation difficult or just not an option. There are no easy-access public facilities.

Transportation – Because of security and the distances involved in traveling from a port it is probably best to stay with the cruise ships tours. There are often drop-off pick-up tours to places like Tel Aviv where you can explore on your own.

Taxis in Israel are common and a good choice in getting around. Israeli taxis by Western standards are inexpensive and are usually readily available, safe with modern cars, and friendly drivers. Within cities, drivers must use the meter unless you agree to a fixed fare and inter-city taxis have fixed fares for specific destinations. Be aware there are surcharges for calling a taxi (5 NIS approx), for luggage (4.6 NIS each). Night rates usually have a 25% surcharge, and there is a starting fare of NIS 11 in cities. There is usually an additional surcharge for Sabbath hours.

Money – 1 US Dollar = 3.42 New Israeli Sheqels. You will need to exchange some currency but major bank credit and debit cards are widely welcome.

What To See and Do:

The Port of Ashdod – This port of call is the most convenient for visiting historic Jerusalem and is usually the primary focus of most passengers. There will usually be dozens of tours available to the historic city along with more to surrounding sites like, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Masada and the Jordon Valley.

Less than twenty miles north of the port of Ashdod is Tel Aviv and Jaffa. If you can fit in the time, a day trip up the coast is well worth the effort to see the real Israel. Tel Aviv is a remarkable, modern city with beautiful beaches and incredible skyscrapers. Its wide avenues are lined with shops and parks and outdoor cafes invite sitting and people watching. Jaffa to the south has the character of a beach resort with a number of nice restaurants, a seaside walk and protected harbor. Above Jaffa is a historic neighborhood with art galleries, a beautiful park and views up the coast of Tel Aviv beaches and skyline.

Port of Haifa

Haifa – The Baha’i Gardens extending from the summit of Mount Carmel along the northwestern slope of the mountain. In total the 19 terraces and more than 1,500 steps drop down towards Haifa port. The Baháʼí Faith is a religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and was established by Baháʼu’lláh in 1863 in Persia.

Twelve miles north of the port is Acre, the fortified town and home to Crusaders fighting to open Jerusalem to Christian pilgrims from the eleventh to sixteenth centuries. Famous for the Siege of Acre, 1189-91 which was the first major battle of the Third Crusade. The siege involved a mixed force of European armies led by Richard the Lionheart of England against the Muslim army of Saladin. A remarkable experience with its passageways and halls. Outside the fort is an interesting marketplace and a protected harbor area.

116 miles of Mediterranean coast in western Israel stretchs from Lebanon in the north to Gaza in the south. The two major ports of call for cruise ships are Ashdod just north of Gaza and Haifa another 70 miles north.

Todays Featured Street Art • Tahiti

Street Art in Tahiti. Often it’s difficult to see the message or even put a name to the creation but there are a number of street artists at work in Papeete. Soon available in giclée prints in several sizes, custom printed for each individual order on archival, museum grade paper using fade resistant inks.

Drop by regularly as we offer up street art treasures and interesting graffiti from cities around the globe. Celebrate a world of travel captured in images selected for their creativity.

Please Help – We would really appreciate your input. While we’re still working out the details of offering our Travel Prints from The Intentional Traveler’s home website the overall response has been very encouraging from our online store. Printing street art has always been of interest as a decorative art form and we would love to hear your thoughts?

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Cruise Deals Panama Canal

This Weeks Cruise Deals And Featured Itineraries

Explore Cruise Life

A Must Do Cruising Experience!

After Over A Hundred Years It’s Still One Of The Manmade Wonders Of The World

There are several options available in booking a cruise that takes you through the Panama Canal. The most popular cruises originate on one coast and end on the other. Miami to San Diego or the return are the most common itineraries. The second are Caribbean cruises that go half way through the Panama Canal and return to the Caribbean. These are very popular and tend to be less expensive. The last are repositioning cruises. They include end of season cruises moving ships from Alaska to the Caribbean in the fall or back to Alaska in the spring, or South America cruises heading to the Caribbean or Europe.

Following are several sample listings online this weekend.

Please Note • Todays cruise industry is incredibly dynamic with new itineraries and special deals changing daily. With endless possibilities and ever changing offers it is nearly impossible to stay up-to-date. This series will regularly highlight new offerings we think you might find interesting. Most links here will take you to individual cruise line websites where you can search for specific cruise offers. We do not receive any discounts or commission from travel or cruise companies.

Explore Exotic And Amazing Ports of Call

From lost civilizations to some of the greatest natural wonders, cruises can help you explore the world in luxury. Explore your cruise options using these convenient links:

Royal Caribbean

Norwegian Cruise Line