A Sudden Fearful Death - Anne Perry

I've not read any of Anne Perry's books before so it was good to find something a little different to my usual choice of reading.

I really enjoyed this historical murder story, part of the William Monk detective series.

The setting is Victorian England 1857 and when Prudence Barrymore, a Crimean nurse is murdered in London's Royal Free Hospital, William Monk, a private investigator is called in to help find the murderer.

It's a complex plot with interesting and memorable characters. I really enjoyed the story as well as finding out more about aspects of Victorian England including the medical scene and women's lives.

Look forward to reading more in this series.

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Santorini - 7 September

Santorini Source: Wiki Commons

Well today we decided not to get off the ship. I know I'll probably regret it but I just couldn't be bothered. Sacrilege!

We enjoyed having our breakfast here on the back of the ship and lingered for ages.

It was too tempting to just sit on deck and come back here again for lunch. Well when you live in a climate like ours you don't get the chance to relax and eat outside very often.

Here's a photo taken as we approached Santorini.

Santorini was called Strogli in ancient times and is considered to be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. It's the most southern of the Cyclades Islands and and is the remnant of a volcanic crater that was enclosed by the sea. The giant central lagoon, more or less rectangular, measures about 12 km × 7 km (7.5 mi × 4.3 mi) and is surrounded by 300 m (980 ft) high steep cliffs on three sides. The island slopes downward from the cliffs to the surrounding Aegean Sea. The water in the centre of the lagoon is nearly 400 m (1,300 ft) deep and makes it a safe harbour for all kinds of shipping. The island's harbours all lie in the lagoon and there are no ports on the outer perimeter of the island; the capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon. (Source Wiki)

The volcano is still active and the last eruption was in 1956.

The population of Santorini is about 14,000 (that's apart from the tourists). Fira (also known as Thira or Thera) is the island's capital and is perched 900 feet up on the cliffs overlooking the harbour. Could you fancy living at the top of that? I couldn't.

I also didn't fancy riding a donkey to the top, poor little things. There was a funicular and there's also a road with steps you can see zig zagging to the top at the centre of the photo.

You can climb it on foot too but there's over 550 steps. Can you imagine it?

Later that day I met someone at reception asking for an elastoplast. He had been climbing the steps and fell in the donkey poo! I'll say no more!

Here's a few photographs of places I missed, courtesy of Wiki Commons:

Typical Blue Domed Roof

Santorini Windmills

The Town of Oia

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Rhodes - Sunday 6 September

If it's Sunday, we're in Rhodes and today's the day! Our Ruby Wedding, we've been married for 40 years. Hard to believe some days, but we made it.

What a change to the day we got married. The weather was pretty similar, very clear and sunny, just not quite so hot that day. What we didn't have this time was all the hassle. It was such a lovely relaxing day, just the two of us.

It was a time to reflect too on how much has happened over those years. The sad things and the happy ones; the family members we've lost and our new family members.

In the morning we went up to church, the one we, well I, always go to when we're in Rhodes. I've been there a lot so it's feeling very familiar now. Here's a slightly better photo of the St Francis mural. Still not a really good photo.

Then we did our usual wandering around the Old Town. People always wonder why we go back to the same place when there are so many different places in the world to to see. Well I used to think that too, however I have to say I always see something new when we go to Rhodes and I also get a feeling of coming to a very friendly place, one I love.

Here's the memorial to the Jewish martyrs of Rhodes and those murdered in the death camps by the Nazis. I've never seen this before and I know we've passed down this street almost every time we've been here at the same time on a Sunday morning. I think the reason why we saw it this time is that there were very few people about this time as we walked down the street. Normally it's packed. Sorry the picture's not too clear but you get the feeling of the place. In the middle of a hustling bustling town, here's a little oasis of peace and tranquility.

Here's something else we saw for the first time, a lady making carpets in the front of a shop. A dying trade apparently if you pardon the pun.



The street traders were out in force trying to persuade you to buy. Not harassing you, just telling you about the craft and the bargains.

I love taking pictures of works in progress!

I've noticed that when I'm wandering about I love seeing pictures through doorways, archways and holes like this. Not sure why. Here's a view through a hole in the old city walls.

Wonder if it was a place the Knights of St John kept watch from.

One of the good things about visiting Rhodes on a cruise we discovered is how close the ship docks to the town. It's just a few minutes walk to the Old and New Towns. Also it gives you a different perspective on the Town too.

Here are the walls of the Old Town from the sea, well some of them.

This is a view of the New Town and harbour, the other side of the photograph I took in May.

Here's the photo I took from the quayside in May.

A view of the top of the harbour. I'm pretty sure that's Turkey you can see in the distance.

While I remember, here's a photo of the ship we travelled on.

It wasn't one of those mega ships, I would have hated that. Just a nice size only 580 passengers and it was full. It could get into the smaller docks that the big cruise ships can't.

They were always washing and painting it when the ship docked. I kept wondering if the Queen was due on board as you can always smell fresh paint when she's expected anywhere.

Santorini tomorrow!

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