Alright Class.. Today we will learn about ancient Greek history....

September 29th... Athens Greece.

 

 

 

One day in Athens and we are off the have a crash course on ancient Greece. The area we are staying is quite modern but we are only a short distance from the heart of ancient Greece.

We head off on a small tour. Our first stop is the Olympic Stadium, the birthplace of modern Olympics, with the first games in 1896. There were, of course earlier games. We were told there were events like foot races, wrestling, javelin, discus. There was one winner per event and the winner got Olive Oil. 

Today's stadium has been used since 1896 and hosted the Olympics in 2004.  It is the Panathenaic Stadium and shares 2500 years of history.

Next stop, the Greek parliament buildings where 300 elected officials govern this troubled country.
It is a beautiful building which once was a palace. 

In front and centre is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honouring all soldiers who fought and died in the two World Wars.

Guarding the Tomb are two ceremonial guards, dressed in traditional Greek military garb. The outfits are quiet elaborate  right down to the big pompoms on the shoes and the red berets. Every hour they do a ritual march which extremely well choreographed but a bit hilarious at the same time. They are very serious and you can not distract them or bother them.

 

 

 

On to the The Temple of Zeus. Construction began in 520 BC, intended to be the largest temple in all of the Greek Empire. It was began by the then ruler of the Greek Empire but before it was finished he died. He was a tyrant and not liked by the people. His sons were killed and exiled and democracy started. The temple was abandoned.

 

650 years later the Romans conquered Greece and Hadrian, the Roman emperor, who had attended school in Greece and had a love for the country, undertook to complete the construction of the Temple dedicated to Zeus and his daughter Athena.

 

It was finished in 136 AD. It had 104 columns supporting the marble roof.

 

 

 

The Greek people were grateful to Hadrian and constructed this beautiful gate, known as Hadrian's gate in his honour to show their appreciation.

 

 

 

 

And the best for last, The Acropolis.

 

This amazing complex includes The Temple of Athena, The Parthenon, and The Erechtheion as the three major temples or structures.

It sits high above current Athens, visible from all around and lit up at night.

 

Earliest parts of the complex date back about 3500 years.

 

Now the ruins stand, much restoration is being done. Most of the artifacts are housed in the Acropolis Museum, a separate site nearby. Much more archeological sites were found when excavating the city for the construction of the Metro. Athens of today basically sits on top of another city, the ancient Athens.

 

 

 

Theatre

 


The Parthenon

 

The Erechtheion

 



The City of Athens from the Acropolis.

 We end the day at a lovely restaurant in Plaka, the old area of the city

and get ready to leave for Santorini early in the morning.   Come With Me....................

Arreviderci Bella Italia.

September 28th,  Goodbye Italy, Hello Greece.



Monday Morning and we are on our way to Greece.  We check out of our apartment here. Gotta say I will not miss the actual apartment. While the location was great and it was roomy for three of us, the beds were hard, the décor sparse, it was ill equipped and the shower was a 2 foot square enclosed by a cheap plastic shower curtain that sticks to you when you shower. However, it does not diminish from the lasting impression of Sorrento and the Amalfi area.

We are sad to bid farewell but excited for the next step of our journey.

We are only a few blocks from the train station but it includes a couple of steep sets of stairs, not conducive to dragging our suitcases so, a short 20E cab ride and we are at the Circumvesuvian Train station. We board the small local train which will take us to Naples.

 

 

 

 

From here we board the high speed Frecce train which takes us to Rome. 

A hair-raising cab ride with Mario Andretti and we are at the airport for our flight to Athens.

Arriving in Athens we make our way to our hotel. Our driver speaks excellent English and talks to us with pride and optimism of his country, its current situation and his confidence that this country that has endured for millenia will come through and go on.






We relax at the rooftop bar with a glass of Greek wine as the sunset paints the sky. Across from us the Acropolis stands high atop a rocky hill overlooking the city, brightly lit against the night sky. Enduring, impressive, solid. Like the spirit of its people.

 

 

 

 

 

The stunning Amalfi Coast.

Sunday, September 27th.

If ever you have browsed European travel brochures, magazines or even artwork you have seen them, the villages and coastlines of the Amalfi area of southern Italy. Picturesque villages perched on the cliffs and hillsides overlooking a brilliant blue sea.

It is our last day in Sorrento and we have not yet been to the real Amalfi Coast, a series of little towns on the Bay of Salerno. Picturesque and popular for tourists, these towns have history, beaches, restaurants, bars, shops and breathtaking views. They spill down the hills and cliffs and tumble toward the sea. Sharp hairpin turns open to spectacular glimpses of a brilliant blue sea.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                      Michelle and I board the bus at Sorrento heading to the villages of Positano and Amalfi. Cynthia is

taking a day off. We climb over and through the mountains. The highway is good but narrow and steep with sharp curves. Bus drivers in Italy certainly earn their pay, manoeuvering those big coaches around bends with no visibility as tourists and other buses come barrelling at them. They pass so close there are inches between as they pass.  We see countless vehicles here with great scrapes down one side or the other, its no wonder. We twist and turn. Ahead we see mountain passes and a curving highway hugging the edge of the cliffs. Down below, the cobalt waters shimmering in the sunlight. Every now and then we come around a curve and catch a glimpse of the villages dotted along the shore.
 

Although it is only a short distance it takes almost an hour. We disembark high up and walk down the steep winding streets and steps to the village below. The views are so arresting we have to stop every few minutes to take more photos. Coloured houses spill down the mountainside. Ancient churches and watchtowers mark the perimeters. Terraces and restaurants welcome visitors to sit, relax and savour the views. Far below the beach stretches, dotted with bright orange umbrellas. Sunbathers stretch out on the beach in the hot Sunday afternoon sun. Others dip in the crystal clear waters. It is so picture perfect it is as though you have stepped into a postcard or a travel magazine.

T

 

There is a feeling of affluence here, designer shops and galleries. The homes on the hillsides are larger and more opulent than other areas I have been.

 

Reluctantly we head to the port for the ferry to Amalfi, the second town on our agenda for today. How can it be any better than this? A short 25 minute ferry ride along the coast and we arrive.






The view as we approach certainly rivals Positano, different but equally impressive. Amalfi has a very historic feel to it. Beautiful massive cathedrals and churches as cornerstones, ancient stone watchtowers standing guard along the coast. High rocky cliffs with white and creamy yellow buildings. The colorful green mosaic dome of the Amalfi Cathedral beckons, dominating the view.

We make our way along the long pier, trying to soak it up. By now our senses are almost on overload. Following the cobblestone paths we wind through squares and alleys toward the Cathedral, dedicated to San Andreas, The Apostle Andrew, whose bones are buried here in the crypt. It is stunning, equally as beautiful as any I have seen in Rome.

 

 

 

 

 We stroll through the town and along the shoreline, taking in the beauty. It is almost overwhelming,

 

 

 

 

We wander back and along the coast, upward overlooking the shoreline. Down below are rows of colorful umbrellas along the beach with the backdrop of history behind. I do not have words to adequately describe the scene, the pictures really say it all…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Finally we settle on beach chairs for a cold beer and Michelle has a dip in the sea while I search for beach glass among the pebbles on the beach.,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We board the ferry for one hour relaxing boat road back to Sorrento.  What a day!  I am truly blessed to have the chance to visit these places and have such amazing experiences.

 

 

Caio Bella Italia.......   tomorrow we head to Greece.

 

Come With Me...............