GREECE – Rhodes, Athens, Nafplion, and Crete

DAY 87 — April 1, 2017 – Sailing the Mediterranean Sea

Today is April Fool’s Day and Mary Raifsnider’s 96^th Birthday (no foolin’).  Looking forward to having a piece of birthday cake in a few weeks.

DAY 88 — April 2, 2017 – Rhodes, GREECE

The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, stood atop these two pillars, spanning the entrance into the harbor

The enormous bronze statue was the likeness of Helios, Greek god of the sun.  It is said that it stood 120 feet tall (nearly as tall as the Statue of Liberty).  It was toppled into the sea by an earthquake shortly after its construction and all parts were taken away by passing merchants.

An artist’s depiction of the Colossus of Rhodes

The Amboise Gate of Rhodes Old Town.  The fortress of the Knights of St John in the distance dominates the town.  It was destroyed in 1856 and rebuilt by the Italians in 1929 when they came to the island after WWI.  Much of modern Rhodes has an Italian influence.

On a driving trip around the island we saw the beautiful scenery of Rhodes.  This is Anthony Quinn Bay, so named because the actor bought the surrounding property after making The Guns of Navarone, which was shot in Rhodes.  (BTW, Anthony Quinn was Mexican, not Greek.)

We also stopped at a pottery shop for a demonstration of pottery making.  Within 5 minutes, he created this pot with fluted edge (who knew it was so easy?) and then sliced it in half with a piece of fishing line to show us how to spot the real deal.  (Look for the ridges on the inside.)

The empty spot on the top shelf is where the pot I bought was sitting.  Use your imagination.

DAY 89 — April 3, 2017 – Piraeus (Athens), GREECE

At the Acropolis of Athens, stands the Parthenon – the shrine to the goddess Athena -- which is considered to be the most perfect example of classical architecture in the world.  And it does not have a single straight line anywhere.  Every base, every column, every roofline is slightly curved to create the illusion of perfection as you gaze upon it from below.  (Tall straight lines tend to run together in an unaesthetic mess and the Greeks had the desire, the knowledge, and the skill to avoid that and build the beautiful structures they wanted.

 

The National Archaeological Museum of Greece in Athens has the world’s finest collection of Greek antiquities.  One would think, of course it does.  But in reality, many Greek antiquities were taken from Greece to England, where they can be seen in the British Museum.  The Brits’ argument for keeping the national treasures of Greece has been that they could do a better job of preserving them.  

It is said that when German archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann, uncovered this gold mask in 1876, he knew he had found the long-lost tomb of Agamemnon at Mycenae (more on that later).  

This magnificent bronze statue depicts Poseidon (or Zeus, as experts still argue about this) in full stride position with a trident (or thunderbolt) ready to be thrown.  It is one of the few perfectly preserved original statues of the Classical period of Greece, circa 460 BC. 

DAY 90 — April 4, 2017 – Piraeus (Athens), GREECE

On our second day in Athens we took the opportunity to visit the Corinth Canal which we had sailed through on our first cruise ever, a round-trip out of Venice to the Greek Islands, in 1995.  Our ship, the Azur,was the largest (500 passengers) that could go through the Corinth Canal.  To look at this canal after visiting the Panama and the Suez Canals, it is hard to believe how narrow it is and how a cruise ship of any kind could get through.

Our next stop was supposed to be ancient Corinth but we never made it because . . . accidents sometimes happen.   I took a spectacular head-first tumble down the exit steps of the tour bus.  We spent the afternoon in the Corinth Hospital, instead, getting x-rays and stitches.  I had no broken bones, just cuts, bruises, and a big bump on my head.  We were even able to get back to the ship on time thanks to a crazy fast taxi driver who got us back to Piraeus from Corinth in just under 1 hour.  (Cost:  only $124)

DAY 91 — April 5, 2017 – Nafplion, GREECE

While Jane recuperated on board the ship, Ron visited Mycenae, the home of the Grecian King Agamemnon, who started the Trojan War to rescue his brother’s wife, Helen, from Paris, the Trojan prince who captured her.  (Helen was actually from Mycenae not Troy but Helen of Mycenae apparently didn’t have quite the same ring to it.  If she had been known throughout history as Helen of Mycenae, though, we all would have learned how to pronounce Mycenae properly -- my-see-nay.   Agamemnon was also the military genius behind the idea of hiding his soldiers in a big wooden horse to keep the Trojans from knowing they were being attacked.  “For more information,” Ron says, “read The Iliad by Homer.”

This is the view of Mycenae from the top of Agamemnon‘s Citadel.

The main entrance to the Mycenaean citadel is called The Lions Gate.  The stone lintel above the gate weighs 90 tons.  How did these early builders handle such heavy stones?

DAY 92 — April 6, 2017 – Iraklion, Crete, GREECE

The largest of all the Greek Islands, Crete was once the center of the Minoan civilization that was settled from 6,000 - 3,000  BC. and flourished until Santorini (aka Thera) blew up in 1700 BC.  The tsunami from that volcanic eruption destroyed all civilization on the island of Crete making way for the Mycenaeans to flourish during the 15^th – 12^th centuries BC.  (See Nafplion, above)

The palace of King Minos, Knossos, was built circa 1900 BC.  

This is the Throne Room of the Minoan kings.  On our visit 22 years ago, Ron, Kristina, and I were able to sit on the throne.  Now, visitors cannot go into the room at all.  Knossos is 4,000 years old and it is only in the last 20 years that authorities have finally realized a need for efforts to protect it.

DAY 93 — April 7, 2017 – Mykonos, GREECE

Mykonos is just 33 square miles with a year-round population of about 10,000.  Early settlement of the island dates back to the 11^th century.  For most of its history, fishing was the primary industry, but during the last 25 years, travelers from all over the world have been discovering its natural beauty making it the current favored Greek Island hotspot.  We were lucky to be able to visit it just as their “season” was starting up.  There was a lot of painting and maintenance work going on and not everything was open but the shops and restaurants that were open were inviting and intriguing.  And we had a beautiful spring day to enjoy this pretty place.

The waterfront of Mykonos harbor, where we docked, is a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys.  It is said that this confusing layout was created to foil attacking pirates.  It beckoned with colorful balconies and rooftops and who knows what awaiting around the next corner.  The blues of Mykonos are lighter than those in Santorini and it was too early in the spring for colorful flowering bushes and trees but it was easy to see why the island has become the most popular vacation spot in the Greek Islands. 

It was a little cool for sunbathing but a few diehards gave it a try.  (I think they were from Wisconsin.)  The pretty beach, the clear blue sky, and the white dotted cliffs rising above the blue Mediterranean Sea were just picture postcard perfect.