Off to sea we go! We cross from Bodrum in Turkey to the first Greek Island, Kos. This is only a one-hour crossing, with calm seas. But when we arrived in Kos the waves became choppy and caused some problems for the captain to moor.

​Kos has an extremely rich and ancient tradition of medicine. It is the birthplace of Hippocrates, the precursor of modern medicine 2,500 years ago, whose oath aspiring doctors still pledge today.

Not far from Kos lay the ruins of Asclepion, a temple complex that served in ancient times as sanitarium, visited by the sick from all over the ancient world. Our knowledgeable guide, Anna, escorted to the temple and also pointed out the Roman and Greek ruins that dot the area surrounding Kos. The weight of history is tremendous. It gives me perspective on the life we live today.

Life on this sun-drenched island seems sweet. The inhabitants have fresh water in abundance and fertile soil to grow vegetables and fruit. Its strategic location in the Aegean Sea also brought trade, and now tourism.

Bill Knott held his first talk on board, while we were laying anchor in the harbor. What a feast for the eyes and the mind: to the left, the old medieval fortress; to the right, the sea. The speaker engaged us in a discussion on the application of biblical principles of care and compassion in sensitive situations of a family dynamic. Sylvain Romain closed with a devotion sensitizing us to the challenges of reaching out to those who practice Islam.

For Dick Belkins, the day was outstanding: “I love the talks by Bill Knott. I look forward to listening more to Sylvain Romain speak about his understanding of Islam. The ship is fantastic and the food A+. I just love it!”

We capped the day by eating at a Greek restaurant just next to the old Roman agora, an impressive field of ruins from the business district of 2,000 years ago. Great food next to the witnesses of ancient history, what a contrast!