A MAGICAL JOURNEY
ATHENS
May 2
May 3
PELOPONNESE
May 4
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
NAXOS
May 10
May 11
May 12
May 13
May 14
May 15
SANTORINI
May 16
May 17
May 18
May 19
May 20
May 21
May 22
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May 4 - Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio |
What a great day! It's just after 10:00 and Rob and I are having a drink on our patio overlooking the
harbour lights of Nafplio.
This is the first day of our Classical Greece Tour. Our hotel, the Xenia Palace sits high atop
the hill, right inside one of the two Venitian acropolis'.
We left Athens this morning and travelled first
to the Corinth Canal. Quite an impressive sight and we were lucky - a boat was just coming through.
I got some pictures from the bus, but Rob was the one who ventured out on the bridge on foot to get the best shot.
I got just over the edge and decided that was quite enough.
After Corinth, we travelled through the Peleponnese and the Argolis region to Mycenae. I got a bit teary when
I saw the lion gate - it took me right back to my grade 11 Ancient History class with Mrs. Weiss. It amazes me
how accessible the sights are. We were able to go everywhere - Agamemnon's tomb (although we now know
it's too early to have been Aggie's), the beehive tombs and right up to the top of the Acropolis. We are starting
to feel a bit like mountain goats - although not quite enough to contemplate the 999 steep steps up to Palamidi - the
Nafplio acropolis.
The Argolis region smells beautiful (in greek = orea) orange trees, lemon trees, pistachio and olive
trees as well as wildflowers everywhere you look. Everything was so lush - and the poppies, which seem to
grow out of barren rock are the most beautiful shade of deep red. After Mycenae, we visited Epidaurus which
was incredible. Reports have the seating capacity somewhere between 6 and 30 thousand, although I tend to believe
it's more realistic at around 14-16,000. You can almost imagine what it would have been like in ancient times with the
lively festivals. Disappointing to see that some people treated it with such disrespect as to pitch their garbage anywhere
they liked - where's Dracos when you need him?
The view of the mountains is magical and tomorrow we have a long journey through them to reach Olympia. I can hardly wait.
If this trip continues to get better and better, as I suspect it will, the only way anything could be improved upon is if we
come for six months next time. Our tour guide is very well informed and paints a very good picture of the history
and the love that the Greeks have for their nation. Before I go for the evening - and go I must for Rob looks awfully
cute - I should mention that Athens is one wild town. After napping well into the evening yesterday I was awake to
hear that the Plaka was partying well into the night, singing, dancing and general celebration of life until after 3 a.m. We'll
have to find that place when we go back in a few days.
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Click on the pictures for a larger image
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Mainland Tours
Peloponnese
Nafplio
