Ancient and modern, with equal measures of grunge and grace, bustling Athens is a heady mix of history and modern inner-city urban sprawl. It suffers from the curses of the modern age - graffiti and pollution and despite its glorious past, and its influence on western civilisation, it is a city which few fall in love with. Most beat a hasty retreat after the obligatory visit to the Acropolis and a few museums.
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| The urban sprawl that is Athens. |
I went to the Acropolis and it was closed at 2:30 (winter hours...go figure), so I went back the next day.....
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| There are several ways to get to the Acropolis, I chose to walk through the Plaka, the old Turkish quarter of Athens, with its narrow labyrinthine streets nestle into the north-eastern slope of the Acropolis. With most of the city's ancient sites close by, Plaka is touristy to the extreme with its main streets packed with restaurants and souvenir shops. |
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| The higher I climbed the fewer tourist I saw. I guess most take the tour buses up. Perfect I say, because I get to see the untouched-by-tourist part of Plaka. Anyway, I'm on the right track cause the sign is pointing up! |
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| Athens exist because of the Acropolis, the most important ancient monument in the western world. Crowned by the Parthenon, it stands sentinel over Athens, visible from almost anywhere within the city. |
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| The Parthenon's, meaning "Virgin Apartment" (who knew), main purpose was to house the great statute of Athena - the powerful Goddess of Wisdom and guardian of Athens. The temple consisted of 8 fluted Doric columns at either end and 17 on each side. To achieve perfect form, its lines were ingeniously curved in order to counteract inharmonious optical illusions. As a result, the foundations are slightly concave and the columns slightly convex, to make both look straight. This little tidbit of useless information is amazing when you consider that the building was completed in 438BC. |
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| Another look at the Parthenon. The restoration work is for the build-up to the 2004 Olympics that are being held in Athens. |
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| The Erechtheion, a sanctuary from where the mythical Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and Athena produced the olive tree....and if you believe that, you'll believe anything!! |
Afterwards, I explored parts of Athens itself......
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| The Parliament Building is guarded by the much-photographed Evzones (guards from the village of Evzoni in Macedonia). Their somewhat incongruous uniform of short kilts and pom-pom shoes is the butt of many tourist photographic opportunities. Can you blame us?? |
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| The changing of the guard in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. You have to admit, the pom-pom's take away any seriousness the ritual holds!! |
After a couple of days in Athens, I had had enough and took a bus to......
Nafplio
Nafplio, on the Argolic Gulf, is one of Greece's prettiest towns. The setting is dominated by the towering Palamidi Fortress. This vast citadel stands on a 216 metre high outcrop of rock. Within its walls stand three separate Venetian fortresses, built between 1711 and 1714. To reach the top, the energetic can tackle the endless 999 steps!
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| Nafplio's town square with the Palamidi Fortress in the background. |
Coming as no surprise, I climb the 999 steps to the Palamidi Fortress......
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| Up on completing the long climb to the top of the Palamidi Fortress you get a view of the Akronafplia Fortress (just barely captured in this photo). This is the oldest of Nafplio's three castles. The spit of land that it occupies has a beautiful walking trail that eventually winds itself around to the old part of town. I picked up some local wine, cheese and bread and headed out on the trail for my supper. |
Afterwards I walk the trail.....
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| The trail from ground level with the Palamidi Fortress in the background. |
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| Around every corner is something new to see. In this case, the trail lead to an old monastery. |
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The Bourtzi Castle is the third of Nafplio's castles. It lies about 600 metres off the port promenade. Notice the prickly pear cactus....I picked a few of the fruit and had with my wine, cheese and bread!
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Back in town.....
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| The streets of Nafplio. Like so many typical streets in Greece, paved with marble, too narrow for vehicles, obligatory table and chair to sit and wile away the day and the ever present potted plants. |
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| Another look at the Bourtzi. |
After Nafplio, I went back to Athens and took the ferry to the island of.......
Crete
Crete is Greece's largest and most southerly island, and arguably the most beautiful. A spectacular mountain chain fans from east to west across the island. The mountains are dotted with agriculture plains and plateaus, a sliced by numerous dramatic gorges. Long, sandy beaches speckle the coastline, and the east coast boasts Europe's only palm-tree forest. Crete's size and distance from the rest of Greece allowed an independent culture to evoke - as is evident by the few old men I came across still wearing the traditional dress of breeches tucked into knee-high leather boots, black-fringed kerchiefs tied tightly around their heads.
I landed on Crete at around 6:00AM and grabbed a bus to the city of......
Hania
Hania is Crete's second city and former capital. The beautiful, crumbling Venetian quarter of Hania that surrounds the Old Harbour is one of Crete's best attractions.
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| A view of the Venetian Quarter of Hania's Old Harbour. |
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| Hania became Venetian at the beginning of the 13th century. The Venetians spent a lot of time constructing massive fortifications to protect the city from marauding pirates and invading Turks. This particular part of the wall was directly behind my hotel room! |
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| Local fishermen doing repairs on their fishing vessels just outside the port of Hania. |
The next day I take my rental car into the mountains of Crete heading for the Samarian Gorge.....
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| The road from Hania to the beginning of the Samarian Gorge in one of the most spectacular routes that I've ever travelled with unbelievable contrasts: snow capped mountains, winding cliff-hugging roads, orange and olive groves and the occasional sheep on the road! |
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| The main road continues to the village of Lakki. This unspoilt village in the Lefka Ori Mountains, affords stunning views wherever you look. |
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| The road continues up and up. The Lefki Ori mountains in the background. |
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I'm told the mini-churches are family erected shrines in memory of a family member killed in a traffic accident at this particular place in the road........OR........they're erected by the survivor of a car accident, giving thanks to God for blessing their survivor! Regardless; there are hundreds of these things lining the roads, usually near a sharp turn or on a cliff-hugging road. Go figure!
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| Cat & dog. An omen? Maybe! |
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"He who exercises his reason and cultivates it, seems to be both in the best state of mind and most dear to the Gods." -
Aristotle, Greek Philosopher
Somehow I felt a little closer to the Gods in the shadow of Mt. Volikas.
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| At 18kms, the Samarian Gorge is supposedly the longest in Europe. It was closed in March, so I was unable to trek it. |
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| The Omalas Plateau at the end of the road. The front end of my rental vehicle (a Fiat Micro Mini) showing in the picture. |
The next day I head for the south of Crete to explore......
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| The next day sees me heading for the south coast of Crete, but first I have to go over the Lefki Ori mountain pass. |
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| Now I must descend to the coastal plains below. It's a long drop and the road is a series of switchbacks and hairpin turns. |
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| A church along the way. About 98% of the Greek population belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. Orthodox means 'right belief' and was founded in the 4th century by Constantine the Great. |
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| Hora Sfakion....population 340! A small coastal port on the southern end of Crete. Stopped here long enough to get instructions on how to find a beach I was looking for. |
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| According to the locals, the beach is a little ways up this road. Hmmm I'm not too sure about that?!? |
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| It's a moderate 45 minute walk along a coastal path to Sweet Water Beach, named after the freshwater springs that seep from the rocks. |
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| Apparently, during the tourist season, freelance campers will spend months at a time here. The building is a small taverna (closed for the season). |
After a couple of hours on the beach I headed further into the mountains.....
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| Aradena's Gorge, as taken from a free-standing bridge. |
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| Apparently this gorge is home to the very rare Cretan wild goat, the Kri-kri. Unfortunately from the bridge I wouldn't see them even if they were just down there! |
After a couple of days on Crete I head for my next island of........
Santorini
Santorini, officially known as Thira, is regarded by many as the most spectacular of all the Greek islands. Thousands visit annually to gaze in wonder at the submerged caldera (crater), a vestige of what was probably the biggest volcanic eruption in recorded history.
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| Fira, the capital of the island. Santorini was originally called Strongili (the Round One), however around 1650BC, a colossal volcano eruption caused the centre of Strongili to sink, leaving a caldera with high cliffs - one of the world's most dramatic geological sights. |
Time to explore......
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| Fira, perhaps a little over-commercialized, but this has not diminished its all-pervasive, dramatic aura. |
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| A walk along the edge of the caldera will give spectacular views! |
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| The narrow streets of Fira. Not a tourist to be seen.....wrong time of the year! |
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| It was a delight to walk among the ancient and empty streets of Fira. In another month, these narrow passages will be packed with camera touting tourist. |
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| Santorini a photographer's dream |
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| I'm pretty sure the Internet Cafe is down that way! |
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| Unfortunately I did not stay at this hotel, but what a location! |
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| Whitewash paint is obviously the paint colour of choice. |
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| The homes are perched right over the cliff's of Santorini's caldera, which is currently only dormant but could start to boil at any moment. Not sure how these homes would fare if that was to happen? |
After exploring I decided to climb the island's highest mountain, Mt. Profitis........
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| Mt. Profiti. The blue Med simmers in the background as I climb up to the monastery on top. |
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| Even though Mt. Profiti is only 567 metres, it offers stupendous views of Santorini island. |
I went to Santorini originally for only a couple of days but a storm blew in and I got stranded there for an extra day. Desperately trying to find something to do, I hiked down to the bottom of the caldera cliffs.....
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| Today for fun, I go from up here to down there! |
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| Visitors to Santorini can reach the top (or bottom) of the caldera by one of four methods: walk the steps, taxi, cable car (the towers can be seen in the picture), or donkey (which also use the steps)....I chose the steps! |
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| At the bottom is this huge monastery semi-carved into the cliff. |
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| More scenes from the bottom. |
Finally, at 10:30AM, I got the phone call that the ferry would be departing in 25 minutes. I made sure I was on it!!!
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| Being stuck on Santorini for an extra day would not have been half bad, except this is low season so there isn't much to do when the weather forces you inside. I was glad to leave. |
I make my great escape to the Cyclade's island of..........
Hora
Hora, on the west coast of Naxos, is the island's port and capital. It's a large town, divided into two historic neighbourhoods - Bourgos, where the Greeks lived, and Kastro, on the hill above, where the Venetian Catholics lived.
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| A view of Hora. The busy waterfront is lined with cafes and restaurants and is the focus of most of the town's activity. |
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| Another view of Hora. The Kastro (Venetian Catholic) quarter is the castle-like structure on the hill. Although now largely derelict, the Kastro is the most alluring part of Hora with its winding alleyways. |
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| Typical street in the Kastro Quarter of Hora. Notice the windmill high upon the hill and one of the over 500 churches on Naxos. |
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| Naxos was definitely not so well off as some of the other Greek islands I visited, this was a local form of travel in the Kastro Quarter of Hora. |
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| Parking garage. |
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| She wasn't real pretty, nor could she speak a word of English, and she was obviously very religious, BUT she sold some wicked homemade cheese and a local liqueur called "Citron"......my kinda woman!! |
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| Best room I stayed in so far this trip.....TV, kitchenette, balcony, 500 metres from the beach and right-smack-dab in the middle of town. Not bad for 20 euro. |
After exploring the town of Hora, I head for the Temple of Apollo...
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| The unfinished Temple of Apollo, Naxo's most famous landmark. Legend has it that when Istanbul is returned to Greece, the Temple door will miraculously appear.....yeah right, when pigs fly! |
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| The Temple of Apollo with the town of Hora behind it. Apollo, God of light, was the son of Zeus by the nymph Leto. He was the sort of God everyone wanted to hang out with as he was also worshipped as the God of music and song......something of a party animal. |
The next day I take my tiny rented car and head for a trek to the summit of......
Mt. Zeus
Mt. Zeus, at 1004 metres, is the highest point of land on Naxos and it is also the tallest mountain in the Greek Cyclades. It also holds important historical significance. In ancient times, the local Greeks believed that the cave on the northwest flanks of the mountain was the birthplace of the god Zeus.
Zeus was the supreme deity and god of the heavens. His job was also to make laws and keep his unruly family in order by branishing his thunderbolt.
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| View of Mt. Zeus from the Aghia Marina church parking lot where I parked my rental car. |
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| There are two routes to the summit. The Aghia Marina route (named after the little chapel near where it starts) and the Aria Spring/Cave of Zeus route (a steeper and more challenging route). I chose the Aria Spring / Cave of Zeus route! |
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| A view from Zeus as I start my climb. |
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| The weather turned nasty forcing me to take shelter in the Cave of Zeus. In ancient times, the local Greeks believed that this cave was the birthplace of Zeus. Apparently, also in ancient times, ritualistic orgies were performed inside this cavern....unfortunately these are not ancient times. |
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| The rock circle is apparently the remains of a chalk oven and the rock walls served as property lines. |
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| Just above the cave the trail becomes faint and undeveloped as it enters a steep gully. At this point the summit cliffs of Zeus are towering overhead. The sight is impressive. |
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| Finally, after two hours of sweat and cursing the weather, I peak.......now I need a beer!! |
After Naxos, I head for the island of.......
Mykonos
Mykonos is perhaps the most visited and expensive of all the Greek islands and it has the most sophisticated nightlife. It is considered the most hedonistic of the islands and it has a large gay population.
My ferry docks in the port and capital of Mykonos......
Hora
(Mykonos)
Hora (or more commonly called Mykonos) is a warren-like Cycladic village turned toy town. It can be very hard to find your bearings - just when you think you've got it worked out, you'll find yourself back at square one. However, there is no denying that Hora (a.k.a. Mykonos) - a conglomeration of chic boutiques, houses with brightly painted balconies and bougainvillea and geraniums growing against whiter than white walls - has a certain charm.
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| A view of Hora (Mykonos) from the waterfront with a cute little church! |
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| Mykonos' famous windmill row! |
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| The windmills as seen from the Little Venice quarter. |
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| Mykonos' Little Venice quarter, where the balconies overhang the ocean. |
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| Because Mykonos' charm is in itself a major tourist attraction, its against what must be incredible odds that there are still locals living here: chances are you'll see a donkey loaded down with flowers for market in the street while the club next door pumps out dance music. |
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| Of course no Greek island is complete without at least four or five hundred churches dotting the landscape (in this picture there are two churches). |
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| Every town has its fair share of cats and dogs and Mykonos is no exception, but this was the only town I've ever been where these large (and I mean large, at least 40 pounds) birds wander around. |
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| After getting lost for a considerable amount of time I finally gave up looking and just wandered around hoping, beyond hope, that I would find my place sooner or later!! |
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| I passed this tree, I swear 10 times, in my efforts to find my way home! |
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From March 31, 2002 to April 9, 2002 I travelled to Turkey for a visit (see the next post in this 2002 series). My adventures in Greece continue upon my return.
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After returning from Turkey I take a two day tour of.......
Delphi
To the majority of people, Delphi, of all the ancient sites in Greece, is the one with the potent 'spirit of place'. Built on the slopes of Mt. Parnassos, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth and extending into a valley of cypress and olive trees, Delphi's allure lies both in its stunning setting and its awe-inspiring ruins.
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| If the ancient Greeks hadn't chosen Delphi as their navel of the earth and built the Sanctuary of Apollo here, someone else would have thought of a good reason to make this village a tourist attraction. Its location on a precipitous cliff-edge is spectacular. The mountains, especially Mt. Parnassos at 2400+ metres, is a major ski area, with springtime bikini skiing high on the list of attractions. |
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| The road to ancient Delphi with the constant passage of tour buses making their way up the hill to the site. |
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| Springtime in the mountains of Greece, as seen from the slopes of Mt. Parnassos. |
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| The Sanctuary of Apollo where the Delphic Oracle sat, the most powerful oracle in ancient Greece. It's also the site of Greek's first Olympics. |
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| The ancients regarded Delphi as the centre of the world, for according to mythology, Zeus released two eagles at opposite ends of the world and they met here. |
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| The Temple of Apollo......or what remains of it. |
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| An Olympic stadium built during the classical years of Greece. |
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| Of course I did the 100 metre sprint (in record time I may add)! |
From Delphi our tour takes us to........
Meteora
Meteora is an extraordinary place. The massive pinnacles of smooth rock with monasteries atop them are the icing on the cake in this already strange and beautiful landscape, which boasts a World Heritage Site listing. The name 'meteora' means suspended in air. By the 14th century, Byzantine power was on the wane and incursions into Greece were on the increase, so monks began to seek peaceful havens away from the bloodshed. The inaccessibility of the rocks of Meteora made them an ideal retreat, and the less safe the monks became, the higher they climbed, until eventually they were living on the top of the rocks.
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| We visit the 15th century monastery perched high on the rock pinnacle, the Moni Agiou Nikolaou Anapafsa....now that's a mouthful! |
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| The bus parks, basically from where this picture was taken, and we walk the rest of the way. There are two ways to the top, across the foot-bridge and up the steps carved into the cliff, OR the monks can lower a net from the monastery's corner buttress and winch you up!! |
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| The winch from inside the monastery. The winch is operated by it being turned using the protruding bars, that in turn hauls the attached net up. |
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| The corner buttress is where the windlass is located. Now and days the windlass is used only for hauling up provisions. |
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| A close up view of the monastery. |
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| From where I'm standing I can see the Moni Megalou Meteorou (jeeze where do they get these names). This majestic and imposing monastery is built on the highest rock at 613 metres. |
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| Standing atop of the rock pinnacle.....getting ready to fly. I can FLY !! |
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| If this place looks familiar it's because you may have seen it in the James Bond movie, A View to Kill. |
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| Another view of the rock pinnacles. There are a total of 24 monasteries built on these pinnacles throughout the region. |
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| A view of the town Kalambaka, which is located about 350 metres below this particular monastery. |
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| ....and a view from the town of Kalambaka. |
After leaving Meteora I head back to Athens and onwards to the.....
Saronic Gulf Islands
There are five Saronic Gulf Islands and they are the closest group of islands to Athens, which make them a very popular escape for Athenians. Aegina is close enough to Athens for people to commute to work. Along with Poros, the next island south, it is a popular package holiday destination. Hydra, once famous as the rendezvous of artists, writers and the beautiful people, manages to retain an air of superiority and grandeur.
My first Saronic Gulf Island is.....
Poros
The island of Poros is little more than a stones throw from the mainland (360 metres at the narrowest). The town of Poros is the island's main settlement.
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| The town of Poros is not wildly exciting at the best of times but when I was there it was full of Greek Navy sailors, so it was even less exciting for me.....just cause. |
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| Poros town. Such a pretty place. |
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| Exploring Poros town and like so many other Greek villages, the babooska's go about doing their daily chores. |
The next Saronic Gulf Island is.......
Hydra
Hydra is the Saronic Gulf Island with the most style. The gracious stone, white and pastel mansions of Hydra town are stacked up on the rocky hillsides that surround the fine natural harbour.
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| Hydra town with it's pretty red terracotta roof's. |
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| If you've been in Greece for some time you'll fall in love with Hydra for one reason alone - the absence of kamikaze motor vehicles. Hydra has no motorized transportation. In fact, the only form of transportation are donkeys, and there are hundreds of them. |
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| The ship behind me is the one I travelled here on. I would have liked to have spent more time on Hydra ( it easily could have been a two-day trip). Unfortunately; I was only here for a couple of hours, so I was limited in the things I could do. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to take a donkey up into the hills and wander around......next time! |
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| Hydra's beautiful waterfront. |
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| A picture of Hydra harbour as I leave. |
My final stop in Greece was the Saronic Gulf Island of.......
Aegina
Aegina is Greece's premier producer of pistachio nuts. As well, writer Nikos Kazantzakis wrote Zorba the Greek while living on Aegina.
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| Aegina town, on the west coast, is the island's capital and main port. The town is a charming and bustling, if slightly ramshackle place; its harbour is lined with colourful fishing vessels. |
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| This Greek Orthodox church is directly across from the waterfront. |
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| Markets are set up right on the vessels. Fruit and pistachio nuts.....lots and lots of pistachio nuts. I opted for a feed of whitebait and a cold Mythos beer. |
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| And the final picture in Greece goes to this painter who was doing what he does best! |
That concludes my time in Greece. Check out my other postings on my 2002 travels to Africa, Europe and Asia.
Cheers....
DIARY ENTRY: Thursday March 14, 2002 4:51PM: The flight from Nairobi to London and from there to Athens went uneventful. I got talking to a girl from Australia on the plane and she was headed for the Plaka part of Athens, so we shared a taxi. That turned out to be a good thing because the taxi driver ended up charging us 35Euros for the ride, which was about 25E more than we should have paid. Scammed by a cabbie, I hate that.
After resting up, Amanda (Australian girl) and I went out wandering around the Turkish quarter of the Plaka. There is lots of street-side cafes and souvenir shops, but I was shot (suffering from jet lag) so Monday was basically a write-off.
On Tuesday (03/12/02) I decided to go to the Acropolis, but by the time I got there it was closed. It's winter hours here in Greece and everything closes at 2:30PM.....who knew? Spent the rest of the day wandering around and looking at souvenirs, unfortunately it is to early in the trip to be loading up my rucksack with things, so I didn't end up buying anything.
On Wednesday (03/13/02) I was up early and did some chores and then I headed up to the Acropolis early. This time I had all kinds of time to wander around the complex. Very impressive, it's the quintessential landmark for Greece and it lived up to its reputation.
Today I headed for Nafplio, which Lonely Planet calls ".....one of Greece's prettiest towns. The narrow streets are filled with elegant Venetian houses and gracious neoclassical mansions". I have to admit, the town is very impressive. I got a room in an old pension (expensive 30E's), but it is quite quaint! I was told tomorrow, and for the next three days, there is a festival in Greece, called Carnival. Again, Lonely Planet states, "....the Carnivals are....many variations, but fancy dress, feasting, traditional dancing and merrymaking prevail.".....I think I'll stick around for a day or two!!
DIARY ENTRY: Friday March 15, 2002 11:27AM: Got up this morning and decided it was time to look for another hotel. 30euro is just too much for my current budget. Besides Carnival starts today and I will need money for that! I found the perfect place for 20euro, the Hotel Leto. They have shared bathrooms but the place has a perfect little eating balcony where I can sit and write in my journal and read!
Last night (Thursday 03/14/02)I went out and met this couple from Greece. They were very friendly and kinda took me under their wing. Bought me drinks and gave me their phone number and wants me to call them on Monday when they get back, unfortunately, I will not be here on Monday. C'est la vie.
DIARY ENTRY: Sunday March 17, 2002 5:59PM: Just got back from Piraeus (the ferry port for Athens). I took the subway there to familiarise myself with the route and to find out the ferry timetable for tomorrow, when I will be heading for Crete.
Friday (03/15/02) night I wandered around Nafplio and had a late supper. I dropped into a local club for a beer and got to know the staff and ended up getting drunk and partying with them until 5:00AM in the morning!
Saturday (03/16/02) I was hung over........badly. Ended up just wandering around and around. Bought a couple of CD's, my gift to myself. That night, I had supper at 12 midnight and went to bed. Not much in the mood for partying three nights in a roll.
Got up today, packed my gear and headed for the bus to Athens. It's still Carnival here and, in fact, they say Sunday night is the wildest night because Monday is a holiday.
DIARY ENTRY: Monday March 18, 2002 9:58AM: Well it was an interesting night (Sunday 03/17/02) to say the least. I decided to go out at around 9:00PM and the streets were packed. thousands and thousands of people, many dressed up and brandishing a plastic bat. Yes that's correct, a plastic bat. Its tradition here to walk around and whack people over the head or butt with these bloody hard plastic bats. And not just a lite tap......nooooo.....but a pretty good whack. The plastic is hard enough to hurt (a little) but not so hard as to do any damage!!
After just walking alittle ways, I realized that I too needed to be harmed, if for no other reason then for protection. So true to form, I purchased one of these bats and proceeded to enter into the head whacking frenzy!! After a couple of hours I had had enough and went back to the hotel and went to sleep.
Today is a national holiday and true to form, as with any holiday, there is nothing open. The one day I need an internet and a travel agent. I was planning on heading for Crete today, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow, when I can catch the night ferry. There is a ferry today, but it leaves at 12:30 in the afternoon and doesn't arrive until it's dark and with everything closed, I don't want to be wandering around looking for a hotel in the dark. Guess it'll be a slow day here in Athens.
DIARY ENTRY: Wednesday March 20, 2002 9:43PM: Arrived in Crete at 6:00AM this morning after a night crossing on the ferry. I shared a cabin with three other guys (Croatians), none of whom could speak a word of English.
Yesterday (Tuesday 03/19/02), myself and Lori (an English/American girl) went to the museum in an attempt to pass some time. We were both catching ferries but not until late in the night. Other than that, the day was pretty much uneventful.
Today, on the other hand, was quite nice. I got a room early this morning after catching the bus to Hania (Crete) and decided to rent a car and drive into the mountains. I drove to Therisico, a small community up this long gorge. The drive was quite scenic and the actual gorge was very impressive. I had noticed some steps carved into the cliff on the way up so I stopped there on the way back and it turned out to lead to a cave. Unfortunately; I was by myself and had never gone caving before, so I only ventured a few metres inside. But it clearly lead to a large chamber....next time.
Afterwards, I drove to Omalos, a small community situated on a mountain plateau at about 1400 metres. It's also the base point for trekking the Samarian Gorge (unfortunately it is closed this time of year). The drive up was absolutely awesome!! Winding and zig-zagging up switchbacks and hairpin turns with little mountain villages along the way and snowcapped mountains as the backdrop.
DIARY ENTRY: Thursday March 21, 2002 10:50AM: This going to bed before 11:00PM is starting to become a habit.
Started out today with my rented car not being where I parked it. Apparently; the rental agency had spotted it and moved it as I was parked in a "No Parking Zone". Freaked me out. I thought the car was stolen. So after retrieving my car, I drove to the other side of Crete and it was an amazing experience. I headed for Hora Sfakion, where I planned on walking to Sweet Water Beach. This is the beach I had read about in AT Magazine.
The ride to Hora Sfakion was amazing. I drove into the mountains once again, with many switchbacks and hairpin turns, we just kept climbing and climbing and climbing. Of course what goes up must come down!! And down I went to Hora Sfakion, it is a quintessential Mediterranean village perched on a rocky cliff over looking the blue translucent sea. From there I drove a short distance to the trail to Sweet Water Beach. The trail, much like the one around Signal Hill in St. John's, hugs the cliffs with the sea crashing below. I arrived at the beach 45 minutes later. There was not another person to be seen. I laid around in the 24C sun for a few minutes before heading back the way I came.
From there I drove once more back into the mountains, until I came to Amopolis, where I crossed a bridge that spanned the Aradenas Gorge.....spectacular!! On my way back, I passed a large amount of vehicles parked next to a cliff. Upon closer review, I noticed a vehicle had plummeted over the side. Not a sight that instills confidence in driving under such hazardous road conditions.
DIARY ENTRY: Saturday March 23, 2002 8:31PM: Well here I am in famous Santorini. Derek, my older brother, visited here some 27 years ago!
Yesterday (Friday 03/22/02) was relatively uneventful since I had to catch a ferry at 8PM from Iraklio in Crete. It's a small island but without a doubt the crown jewel in the islands of Greece. I decided to climb Mt Profitis, at 567 metres, not high but a healthy way to pass the day. Met up with an old German guy and we ended up going into the Greek Orthodox church on the top, just as the monks were performing their daily service. I don't speak Greek, nor am I religious, but I must say this was very interesting.
I decided that I will stay one more day in Santorini before heading for Naxos.
DIARY ENTRY: Sunday March 24, 2002 8:03PM: I'm sitting in my hotel room here in Hora in Naxos. Its by far the best room I've had so far: TV, kitchenette, balcony, 500 metres from the beach and in the centre of town. I bought some old cheese and citrus leaf liqueur. Now I'm getting ready to go out for supper at the Montreal Pizzeria.....must be a Canadian owner.
Yesterday (Saturday 03/23/02) the weather was terrible, so bad the ferry wasn't running and I ended up being stranded on Santorini for another day. Tried desperately to find things to do to pass the day without going totally insane from boredom.
Was woke up this morning with a phone call telling me the ferry was leaving at 10:30AM, so I made sure I was on it, even though it wasn't the original ferry I paid for......meaning basically I had to purchase another ticket. Regardless; I'm here in Naxos and I plan on staying for 3 days.
DIARY ENTRY: Wednesday March 27, 2002 11:18AM: Made the ferry in seconds flat!! This morning I realized that in order for me to purchase my airline ticket from the travel agent I will have to be there, in Athens, before 5PM tomorrow.....which is a major bummer because I had bought and paid for the rental car for one more day. Thank God, I didn't also pay for the room for another night.
Naxos was a beautiful mountainous island and ale the cheapest (so far). My room had a kitchenette so I bought some sausages and eggs and had this for breakfast. I spent the remainder of Monday just wandering around town. As it was yet another holiday, there was nothing open or to do. I went back to the Montreal Pizzeria for supper and had a pizza (slow news day).
Yesterday (Tuesday 03/26/02) I rented a car and drove around Naxos. It's the biggest of the Cyclades and is very laid-back. I was determined to climb Mt. Zeus (1004 metres) and started up at around 1:00PM. Although the mountain is not high, it was a lot of rock scrambling involved and the weather wasn't cooperating, so it was slippery at times. But true to form, I peaked at around 3:00PM and was down and in the car by 4:30PM. Afterwards I went out and had 3 beer at the restaurant and since they're 500ml and I was tired, I woke up at 3:00AM lying face down on the bed fully dressed!!
DIARY ENTRY: Friday March 29, 2002 7:24PM: Well I arrived back in Athens and ended up staying at the worst hotel of my trip to Greece, on Wednesday (03/27/02) night. So first thing I did on Thursday (03/28/02) was to look for another hotel. I ended up staying at the Festos Youth Hostel that was actually a pretty neat place. They have a little bar there and the guest kinda gather there for a drink or two. Ended up talking to 3 or 4 people and we went to a disco. I didn't get home until 5:00AM. Unfortunately, I had to get up at 6AM to get my ferry to Mykonos!! Not much sleep happening here today!
Mykonos is a strange little island in that the main town has all these narrow streets that reminds me of a labyrinth. I ended up renting a studio but when I went out for a walk, I couldn't remember where the studio was......so I walked and walked and walked around this town trying to find my studio. Obviously, I found the place but not after many hours of searching, of course being super tired didn't help at all!!
Now I'm just relaxing in my studio, maybe I'll read a little and then head out for supper. Tomorrow it is back to Athens for one more night before I head for Turkey.
DIARY ENTRY: Sunday March 31, 2002 8:06PM: Woke up Saturday (03/30/02) to a bright beautiful day, however I had to head back to Athens, so I didn't have the opportunity to bask in the sunshine. That night I stayed at the Festos Youth Hostel, but this time I had to stay in a dorm with 7 other guys. I met up with Carlos from Ottawa and we went to supper together.
Today I arrived in Istanbul at around 3:00PM and got to my hotel at 4:00PM. Again it's a youth hostel but my dorm bed (only 3 in the room) is only $12.00. Tomorrow I head out on my trip around Turkey. I'm looking forward to that a lot.
DIARY ENTRY: Wednesday April 10, 2002 3:45PM: Yesterday (Tuesday 04/9/02) I arrived back in Athens to hot sunny skies.....finally. Checked into my hotel and purchased a two-day package for Delphi and Meteora. I went down to the hotel bar and ended up hanging out with some of the hotel employees. After work, they were going to the park to do some drinking. They buy some wine and ouzo at the local store and go to the National Botanical Gardens at around midnight and just hang out, shoot the shit, and drink. It was a good time!
Today I slept in until 10:00AM and decided it was a good day to go shopping, so that has been my day so far. Shopping yeah!
DIARY ENTRY: Saturday April 13, 2002 3:08PM: Thursday (04/11/02) morning I woke up at 7:23AM and had to be out to catch the bus at 7:35AM. I made it but just barely!! I was on my way to Delphi, the historic birthplace of the Olympic Games. This was an organized tour and when the bus picked me up, it looked like I wouldn't have a very good time as there were only six Malaysan people and two older couples. However, when I got talking to them and made friends with them, they proved to be good fun!!
Delphi itself was somewhat of a disappointment, when compared to Ephesus in Turkey, but the Olympic Stadium was in very good shape. As well, the location (built on the side of a cliff) was pretty awesome.
Friday (04/12/02) we were in the Meteora region of Greece. This place is very impressive. Located on an ancient sea plain, the 200-300 metre highstacks rise up from the old seabed. Perched on top of these are monasteries. There are 24 in total, even though we only got to see two of them. Again, the scenery leaves you in total awe. Later that night I met up with the Malaysan girls and we went to a bar and did some dancing. The girls are Muslim so it was interesting learning about their culture.
Today I finished up my required shopping and now I'm packing for my trip home. Tomorrow, I'm going to check out and head for the Saronic Gulf Islands before heading to the airport and then home.
DIARY ENTRY: Monday April 15, 2002 11:51AM: On Sunday (04/14/02) I got up early and headed for the Saronic Gulf Islands. My first stop was Paros. this island was packed with sailors from a navy ship, so I didn't spend much time in this port.
From Paros I headed for Hydra. This island is beautiful for many reasons but one of the main ones is the absence of kamikaze motorists.....only transportation is donkeys.....hundreds of donkeys!!
Next I head to Aegina. This island is famous for its production of pistachio nuts. It's easy to see this, as every street vendor and shop is selling them. Unfortunately; I left my money belt back at the hotel, so the only money I had was the 20 euro's in my pocket. Had a nice meal of fried whitebait and a cold Mythos beer to wash them down and then it was back to Athens for the final countdown.
I arrived in Amsterdam fairly early in the morning and grabbed a train into the city centre. Did some wandering around but it being Sunday, nothing was opened, so I headed for the Greenhouse Effect Hotel, the famous coffeeshop where it all began way back on January 12th. The last time I was here, it was when I met up with Frank Carone and we were about to start our journey to Africa. It was strange in a way, but also ironic to finish up my trip smoking a joint in the same spot where it began 3 months before.
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