Stampin’ Up!’s Greek Isles Incentive Trip (Day 2)

I’m back from my amazing vacation with Stampin’ Up! demonstrators from around the world during Stampin’ Up!’s 2019 Annual Incentive Trip to the Greek Isles. Yesterday I shared some pictures from my trip (before the official trip kicked off) in Rome, Italy – you can see that post here. Today I’m sharing some pictures and fun memories from the rest of my trip in Greece (starting with the boat and ending with the last night of the incentive trip).

The Boat

Our Stampin’ Up! Incentive Trip was aboard the Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas. The boat was smaller than some of the other boats we’ve been on, but the adventure was just as amazing. Here’s a quick look at the boat we were on (I pulled this from Royal Caribbean online marketing:

Royal Caribbean Jewel of the SeasThe boats always look so big, but they are overwhelmingly huge when you first see them and board them. Here’s the view from our stateroom while we were still docked, waiting to start our journey:

Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Sea, Brian KingThe trip started in Rome, Italy and then took us to ports in Greece (Santorini, Mykonos, Athens and Katacolon) before returning us to Rome. We planned some excursions along the trip and got off the boat at all four ports. What an adventure!

Santorini, Greece

When the boat pulled up in Santorini, Greece, we were greeted by many views of homes etched into the sides of mountains. The town was formed by volcanic eruptions in the 16th Century BC and is known for whitewashed homes and bright blue domes. I took many pictures, but this was the closest and clearest view of what we experienced along the coast:

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Santorini Greece, Brian KingOur tour took us through the city and shared great information about the history of Santorini – the town center greeted us with amazing shops, delicious eats and LOTS of heat. This picture gives you a little more of what we all think of when we hear about Santorini:

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Santorini Greece, Brian KingHow gorgeous is that view?! We enjoyed lunch in a wonderful cafe that overlooked this water. Our tour took us through Oia and Fira before we headed back to the ship. I grabbed this view from the bus on the way back:

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Santorini Greece, Brian KingThe heat of this Santorini excursion convinced a lot of folks to stay on the boat for the upcoming destinations, but we pushed on.

Mykonos, Greece

Before heading to Europe for this trip, I was most excited about our stay in Mykonos. I’d seen all the whitewashed buildings with some bright-colored accents. The town seemed quaint and beautiful, and I have always loved it’s waterside views. The buildings were as gorgeous as I imagined.

We arrived in this quaint village with great restaurants and shops. We enjoyed iced coffees while we waited for our tour to start and shopped/had lunch after the tour. How sweet is this area (the water is just off to the left of the picture)?!

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Mykonos Greece, Brian KingMost of the homes and shops inside the city of Mykonos are white with rounded corners. The doors, gates and banisters are painted with bright colors like reds, blues and greens. Walking through the narrow streets of Mykonos was inspiring.

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Mykonos Greece, Brian KingThere are between 600 and 800 small churches on the island on Mykonos. Small chapels were scattered throughout the streets of our tour path. That equates to about one church per family on the island.

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Mykonos Greece, Brian KingWe ended the tour at a restaurant along the shoreline. How beautiful is this view?

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Mykonos Greece, Brian KingMykonos was as beautiful as you can imagine it to be.

Athens, Greece

Athens, Greece almost defines the history of civilization. Landmarks, like the Parthenon at the Acropolis, date back to the 5th century BC. If you ever learned anything about Greek mythology, those stories were set here. Our guided tour drove us from the boat to the Acropolis at the center of Athens. Here’s a view of Athens, Greece from atop the Acropolis in Athens:

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Athens Greece, Brian KingThere are several ancient buildings atop the Acropolis, including the Parthenon. The Parthenon is an ancient temple that was built for the Greek goddess Athena (the patron of the city of Athens). It was burned down during invasions and rebuilt. It’s currently being re-fortified. I was so happy to get this amazing picture of the Parthenon:Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Athens Greece, Brian KingAfter our tour of the Acropolis (including all the history), we drove into town in time for the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside of the President’s Mansion – quite a unique experience!

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Athens Greece, Brian KingKatacolon, Greece

The boat also stopped for a day at Katacolon, the seaside city that is most famous for Olympia, the site where the Olympics began. After three days of amazing tours, we walked off the ship to the sweet town to have lunch and shop a little. No pictures from Katacolon – but it was lovely!

I’m so grateful to Stampin’ Up! for building a compensation plan that allows me to take adventures like this one. Not only were we able to hang out with some amazing friends during the trip, but we were able to talk business (we talked A LOT of shop) and spend time alone. During the event, we received copies of the 2019 Holiday Catalog. I can’t wait to start playing with these new products and sharing what I’ve made with you.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Brian

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19 Comments

  1. Brian, thanks so much for sharing your trip with us. What an amazing thing to be able to do. Stampin’ Up is truly blessed to have you on their team!!!

  2. What a wonderful trip! Im happy that you had such an amazing experience!

  3. Suzie Patt Cullen

    Great photos! What a wonderful trip! Thank you, Brian, for sharing your beautiful photos and memories?

  4. Thanks for sharing your photos with us Brian! Glad you had a great time.

  5. Such an amazing adventure!!!!

  6. Someday soon I will earn an incentive trip. #goals I am working it, day by day. Not there yet but closer than I was last year. These pictures inspire me! Thank you!

  7. Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures. I’m sure everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. Mykonos has been one of my favorite places for several years. Can’t wait to see what the new catalog brings and what you can share with us. Welcome home! Enjoy your day!

  8. Your trip sounds AMAZING. So happy for you my friend. Thanks for sharing your pics with us.

  9. Thanks for the wonderful tour!

  10. Another round of fabulous photos of fantastic sights. (How did you EVER get a shot of the Parthenon without people in it??? Saw the hoards of tourists in shots from other people) You are so deserving of this trip; so glad you (and your team members) were able to go. Thanks again for the amazing pictures!

  11. MANY years ago I spent a summer in Greece, mostly the island. So glad you enjoyed your adventure in that beautiful, friendly country.

  12. Oh Brian – that trip sounds like it was almost as amazing as you are. Thanks for sharing those beautiful photos and showing those of us unable to make that kind of trip a piece of this beautiful world.

  13. I’m taking this cruise in October! Would love more details on the tours you took and whether you thought they were worth it or if you could adventure on your own. We are stopping in Naples as well. Feel free to email me directly ([email protected]). Thanks!!

  14. Brian, I love your photos and commentary about your trip. I’ve been to Greece twice, and your photos brought back so many memories. My husband and I also spent a week in Rome a few years ago, and loved the city and the food.
    Thank you for sharing.

  15. Of all the SU trips you have done this one is top of my list!

  16. Loved seeing your pics yesterday and today! So glad you had a blast and now home safe!

  17. Your trip looks fabulous, and I’m sure you had a good time. I wanted to thank you for your interesting and funny blog. Please do not send me a Holiday catalog. I’m sure I will get one from another demonstrator, and I don’t have anyone to give the extra copy to, and I hate to waste it. I really appreciate all your help. Trying to buy from several demonstrators is getting too big a chore for me.

  18. Brian, thank you for sharing these amazing pictures of your trip, I’m so happy you are back home safe.
    I’ve been very busy with my family now that our grandkids are on Summer Vacation, with the weather being so hot the only places to be is either at the pool or the beach.
    Thank you for all the wonderful cards you shared while you were on this trip, all of them are so beautiful, I especially like the one you posted on July 13th. “Bird Ballad Redo”, I also love combining several stamp sets to create the look I want.
    Welcome Home.
    Maria.

  19. What an incredible trip! Love all of your photos, thank you for sharing!

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