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Greece 6/21-7/7/02
Athens
We look out our window at the
Royal Olympic Hotel. There is Zeus’s temple all lit up in the night. This requires a
momentary pause in our jet lag pity party. After our nap, we headed to the Plaka
District. The sounds of singing & evangelizing floated through the sultry
night. Michaelo’s served up fine caprese and even better people watching. We
got a second wind. We were actually in Greece!
The signs of the 2004 Olympic
preparation were everywhere. When we asked for directions, we often heard “It’s
just 10 minutes straight ahead.” The street curves perplexingly. Mmmm. Will the
Olympic crowds find their venues? Our friend, Sue, was hit and bruised by a
motorcycle while crossing the street on a green light. Luckily, her long
friendship with a Greek family kept this from being her dominant trip memory.
Near the charming Plaka, we ate
gyros at an outdoor café. A woman shows us her hand
embroidered tablecloth-white silk thread on white cotton- only 60 Euros. I said
“No” for the next twenty minutes. Each time she approached, the price went
down. When she reached 15 Euros I succumbed. Mildly stressful, seriously
awkward lunch! (I gifted the cloth to my mother-in-law, and then later
inherited it.)
The next day we made the hot,
dusty, windy climb to the Parthenon. Seeing the intricate beauty of the
caryatids holding up the temple walls made it all worth it. We walked down from
the Acropolis to the Agora where SOPHOCLES taught and strolled- wow! A small
museum displays ancient everythings including a cool machine with red and black
balls determining who had a voice in their Senate. I smiled to see a 6-minute
water clock. When a speaker began, the water was poured into the clock. When,
in six minutes, it had flowed out, the speaker must stop.
Can you imagine hushing SOPHOCLES?
That evening we followed a winding
path, got lost, but after climbing a fence and trudging through a field, we
finally got to an outdoor concert pavilion under a full moon. A 4-piece band
played while 20 elegantly costumed professional dancers demonstrated
traditional dances from several parts of Greece. Over the years, I’ve been
warned to avoid tourist traps. This seems misguided! I am a tourist. I don’t
want to miss anything. These places are famous because they are awesome!
Delphi
We took a bus tour north to arrive
in Delphi for an overnight stay. After walking among the ruins of Apollo’s
temple, sanctuary and stadium, the past really does seem present. The line
between myth and fact is blurry indeed. Staring at the beautiful stone wall, I
can imagine leaders approaching the Oracle of Delphi seeking advice and
strategic advantages over the enemy. I stare back at the life–sized statue of a
charioteer.
The Vouzas Hotel sits on a edge of
a steep cliff above a deep valley full of olive trees. We sat on our little
balcony admiring the full moon, listening to pleasant (unseen!) insects and
relishing the cooler temperature of late night. Imagine skiing down nearby Mt.
Parnassus.
All is quiet in the early morning.
We hear tractors far away in the olive grove below us. Shops open late. The
pizza in the nearby café is some of the best we’ve ever
tasted. We ate there twice under a large Oak tree.
Kalabaka
/Meteora Monasteries
A lengthy bus trip along the
Thessalonian Plain took us to the Divani Meteora Hotel beneath the mystical
hilltop monasteries. Where else could you be so close to heaven? In town we bought some gifts, tried our
limited Greek and watched painters apply gold leaf to icons. A rainstorm
freshened the air.
Yes! The tedious bus trip was
worth it. We wound up the mountains, marveling at the cratered, cave-dotted
rock formations. So fanciful it evokes Tolkien. Eerie, meditative, isolated.
Eighteen monks live in the monastery on top of a pinnacle. Only 6 of the
original 21 buildings are still in use. We saw monks tending gardens, greeting
visitors, staffing the gift shop. One third of each day is spent this way,
another third in prayer. At one time supplies had to be pulled up the mountain
in baskets. Look up the pictures of this amazing place.
Rhodes
After a one-hour flight from
Athens, we settle into the Hotel Mediterranean. We strolled down the northeast
coast right through ancient Rhodes. We passed the spot where the Colossus of
Rhodes once stood. (According to legend) It is very scenic with three stately
windmills along the water’s edge. The entrance to the walled city is dramatic.
We followed charming narrow streets leading, after several misleading
directions from the locals, “straight ahead on the right”, to Marco Polo’s
restaurant. Fine food in a garden setting-lovely!
We passed the ruins of a 2nd
century Temple to Aphrodite on our way to the beach. How I love dining
outside! We ate at an exquisite
restaurant “Old Story” among flowering plants and lush greens. The scampi in
ouzo-orange sauce and the milk chocolate soufflé were ambrosian.
I’m getting tan! The sea abuts our
hotel on two sides. We spend part of the day in the medieval old town admiring
pottery, jewelry, statues,and ruins, then we loll about around our seaside hotel.
We visited the archeological
museum, and then the impressive Palace of the Knights with its intricate mosaic
floors, the deep colors lasting thousands of years. Still on Rhodes, we return
to the Marco Polo restaurant, enjoying watermelon, apricots, kiwis and deep red
tomatoes.
Later, I sipped an amaretto,
pineapple, and coconut drink while Mike surfed.
Lindos
Another wonderful day! We drove to
Lindos, a picturesque 17c. village on a cliff above the beautiful blue sea. It
was too hot and steep to climb up to the acropolis, so Sue and I rode donkeys! The ride was bumpy as the donkey
listed to the right making me rappel off the jagged rocky walls en route.
Topped it off by getting a major leg cramp disembarking.
We’re seeing patterns now: tomatoes and cucumbers at
each meal, temples to Aphrodite or Athena or Apollo in every ancient village,
an acropolis and agora (market). History shows us that humans seek some
superior being. The Greeks blend myth with cold facts-beguiling but confusing.
Our al fresco meal at the Seahorse Restaurant was delicious.
We walked through the ancient city
of Kalmiro after lunch, then through Butterfly Valley, a nature preserve with
green trees, running waterfalls, and fluttering butterflies.
The last night on Rhodes we used
the Internet Café arriving at ten pm. Finally we’re
on Greek time, eating lunch at 2pm and dinner at 9pm.
Brazil plays Germany tonight in
the World Cup finals. We sit in a bar and join a dozen or so people from
several countries. Sports do build bridges.
The Decorative Arts Museum is
worth a stop. The rooms are arranged by color rather than by chronology. There
were lovely examples of wood carved friezes, tiles, embroidery, tapestry and
pottery. Cobblestone streets, colorful vines and clay pots of flowers
entertained us en route.
Santorini
Santorini is an example of a
tourist destination not to be missed. We took the “Fat Cat” Dolphin catamaran to a mountain top village of Fira. It is even
more glorious than the many photos of black sand and white buildings, red
geraniums, and blue sea! A kindly pharmacist gave me Claritin to treat my
allergies. Once I stopped emptying Kleenex boxes, I could imagine myself in a
goddess gauzy tunic and pants. Bought the outfit as a souvenir.
We ate at Archipelago’s Cafe on a ridge overlooking the crater of
a volcano. The eruption changed the
shape of the island from full to half circle. Mike bought me a necklace with a
coin depicting Athena. Goes great with
my new lapis and gold bracelet! I said the place was romantic.
Heraklion
Crete
A trip to the Archeological Museum
in Heraklion introduced us to Knossos, ancient city of the Minoans.A German archeologist, Evans,
dedicated 35 years and thousands of Pounds to excavating and restoring Knossos.
Highlights for me were the ancient staircase, the queen’s chambers and the wall
frescoes. Many, many tour groups shared the site with us. So did the sun. It
was hot!
Rethymnon
Crete
Rethymnon is one of the best preserved Venetian
old towns on the Isle of Crete. Our hotel, Kyrna is beachfront. We watched the
world go by as we sipped Kahlua. Their Museum of Folklife was excellent. My
favorite objects were bright colored bags of wool-ancient backpacks
actually. Woven fabrics with Rethymnian embroidery were a close second. The
Turkish and Italian influences are obvious here. We saw a contemporary
sculpture exhibition inside a mosque, which was formerly a Catholic Church, in
the fortress built on what was once the acropolis!These experiences bring home how very young our nation is. Capers
grow like weeds close to the ground at our feet. We marveled at tiny snails
perched on grain stalks everywhere. Enchanting.
The Greeks tell us American tourism has declined in this area.(post 9-11)
The beach here is super, not crowded, and bordered by fine, soft
sand washed by the warm Aegean Sea. A boy about 6 asked Mike for a boost so he
could reach a diving post. Even without
his classical Greek course in high school, Mike obliged.
Lunch consisted of
spinach-like greens, grilled eggplant, onions, lemon chicken and gold potatoes
in olive oil and lemon juice. This is a meal I can make at home!
We enjoyed a concert and excellent dance demo at the mosque.
The 4th
of July With the U.S. Navy in Hania
Crete and the Samaria Gorge
We walked
through the old city along the Venetian Harbor shopping and people-watching.
The Naval Museum is interesting, but the photos of World War II are so sad. The
local people hid in caves first from the Italians, then from the Germans. We had a mission- to walk the Samaria Ridge Sue told us about.After
a long bus ride in a bus full of U.S. Navy sailors, the tour guide, who drove
the bus to the hiking site, announced that there were only two donkeys to serve
as an ambulance should someone need help. They tell us that after we had paid
for a bus ride with a 5 am departure!
We descended down a steep, switch back path to the bottom of the famous Samaria Gorge- a challenging, epic, ROCKY, 16km hike. We were surprised how difficult the footing was on irregularly shaped loose rocks and wondered how our friends were going to be able to finish. My hiking boots definitely earned their place in my 23’ suitcase. Fresh, clear mountain spring water faucets served as an oasis along the way. A camaraderie developed as the path narrows to one across. A unique, small species of goat resides in this secluded gorge. The KriKri are small brown animals with black stripes on their backs.After several hours, the trail winds past what they call “The Iron Gate”, a very narrow opening in the high steep mountains that signifies the end of the trail.
The challenge is to finish the trek in time to catch the last ferry back or have to spend the night there. Our friends, Sue and Marty completed the trek just in time to catch the last ferry to Hania. This in spite of her Vespa collision in Athens and an earlier accident leaving her with an unbending knee. We had waited for over an hour sipping cool drinks and eating watermelon. Their comments upon arrival were memorable as Mike rushed up the path to greet them: Sue - “Don’t say one word or I will cry”; Marty – “Except for having all of your teeth pulled without Novocaine, that was enjoyable”. A T-Shirt with “I Survived The Samaria Gorge” was the reward for Sue.
We descended down a steep, switch back path to the bottom of the famous Samaria Gorge- a challenging, epic, ROCKY, 16km hike. We were surprised how difficult the footing was on irregularly shaped loose rocks and wondered how our friends were going to be able to finish. My hiking boots definitely earned their place in my 23’ suitcase. Fresh, clear mountain spring water faucets served as an oasis along the way. A camaraderie developed as the path narrows to one across. A unique, small species of goat resides in this secluded gorge. The KriKri are small brown animals with black stripes on their backs.After several hours, the trail winds past what they call “The Iron Gate”, a very narrow opening in the high steep mountains that signifies the end of the trail.
The challenge is to finish the trek in time to catch the last ferry back or have to spend the night there. Our friends, Sue and Marty completed the trek just in time to catch the last ferry to Hania. This in spite of her Vespa collision in Athens and an earlier accident leaving her with an unbending knee. We had waited for over an hour sipping cool drinks and eating watermelon. Their comments upon arrival were memorable as Mike rushed up the path to greet them: Sue - “Don’t say one word or I will cry”; Marty – “Except for having all of your teeth pulled without Novocaine, that was enjoyable”. A T-Shirt with “I Survived The Samaria Gorge” was the reward for Sue.
The
streets of Hania are charming with several quality shops. I bought a metal owl
lantern and a luna bracelet for Trish. Then we tucked into a tiny carpet shop.
The rugs were beautiful! We were deciding
whether to buy a bright woolen one for our dining room. We learned our rug, if
ordered that day, would be started two years later, in 2004! We saw gorgeous
Kilins rugs in another shop selling for thousands of Euros. The moral of the
story= fine carpets take time.
Back To
Athens
We flew
from Hania to Athens and stayed at the airport Sofitel. From my massage table,
I could see out to the swimming pool area, but they couldn’t see me; a bit bizarre. The hotel wine was better than that we’d had at the charming tavernas.
In Santorini we tasted a delicious local white. Restaurant meals may end with
Raki, a strong, fiery liquor too strong for me.
General Comments on Food
So many
oranges grow on Crete, they don’t harvest all of them. I love their fresh
orange juice. The stuffed grape leaves are served warm-very tasty! Markets sell
stacks of grape leaves. Watermelon is ubiquitous and so sweet. Potatoes
accompany nearly every dish. The bread is rustic and good. Grilled eggplant, never
overcooked, is wonderful. The olives are varied and pungent. A disease has
damaged many trees here and in Italy this year. The tavern meat is fatty and
not too tender. Olive oil is used lavishly. Honey and Yogurt prevail for
dessert. We saw beehives along the highways. Ah…the fish! Calamari fresh and
light and so flavorful. Grouper, swordfish, mullet, snapper and shrimp.
The Colors of Greece
In
addition to the prevalent elegance of blue-trimmed white stucco houses,
pleasing pale yellow and peach, vibrant gold and red create a cheerful scene.
Folk costumes use striking contrasting colors and bold embroidery. Flowering
vines and trees abound adding bursts of color against the white walls. Many
widows wear the traditional black.
Greek Impressions
Roadside
Shrines
The plaster, metal, and glass
“boxes” on posts along Greek roads signify:
1. The site of a fatal accident
2. The site of an accident in gratitude to Mary for
survival.
3. Honoring the war dead.
Inside are photos, flowers, mementos,
oils, etc.
Raven black hair, liquid brown eyes, aquiline noses and pointed chin good looks. So many artistic touches. I saw an elderly man place a long leaf frond inside the waterspout so the water flowed over it. A plaster repair in our hotel room bore a cherubim-like shape.
*Babies are fussed over, which is
delightful.
*More naps (in the hot afternoons)
make for cheerier people.
*These friendly, helpful folks “morph” into fierce drivers of vespas and cars. *Pedestrians
are treated to honks in order to hustle us out of the way.
What a country!
Grownups can be heard giggling. It’s contagious. Have a great trip!
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