Category: Seven wonders

Growing up through the Catholic education system, frequenting mass, a frequent phrase I would hear was “for our epistle today we have St Pauls letter to the Corinthians”. As a kid it tickled my imagination. Did he sit down with pen and paper? How did he post it? Where was Corinth? Well Corinth is here and it is a pretty archeological site including the very spot that Paul was put to trial by the local Jewry for teachings that were contrary to the Jewish faith.

But first it is up to the top of a mountain to visit Mycaenae. This is an older complex dating back to 1300 BC and was built by the Mycaenians whose empire collapsed just as the “mainstream” ancient Greek civilisation emerged. Consequently these ruins are less well formed and reconstructed apart from the beautiful Lion’s gate which was erected in 1250 BBC

Corinth complex has both Greek ruins and later Roman.The beautiful Temple of Apollo dated back to the 5th century BC. The Romans destroyed it in 146 BC and Julies Caesar rebuilt it in 44 BC. St Paul lived here for 18 months in 49 AD and was put on trial in 51 AD. It is remarkable to be at the same spot as a man who was an often quoted,almost mythical figure in one’s childhood.

A sunny Saturday afternoon in late October and the town is buzzing despite the tourist season being over. We circle repeatedly around the congested port car park and are lucky to snag a spot a stone’s throw from our apartment in the old town. It seems to be all locals this time and subsequently we discover that this is a holiday long weekend which probably explains the numbers.

Nafplia is a charming little gem. It is a port city set on the sparkling blue Gulf of Corinth. For us it is the stepping stone for Corinth and Mycaenae but it is worth a wander through the old town and settle down for a meal or a drink along the shore opposite the pretty Palmidi fortress on an island in the Gulf. All around there are crenellated fortress wall on the mountains which are the backdrop.

In the afternoon some 20 minutes drive away is the Greek theatre at Epidaurus, a complex dedicated to the god of healing, Asclepius constructed in the 4th century BC. The ancient theatre there is regarded as the best preserved in Greece and the acoustics are such that people in the back row could hear a whisper on the stage.

The famous Greek historian Herodotus wrote of seven great architectural achievements which became known as the seven wonders of the world. Of the seven wonders of the ancient world the only one still standing is the Great Pyramid in Giza. The rest are marked by where they stood but have long been destroyed by a variety of natural disasters. I have seen 2 of the 7 namely the Great Pyramid in Egypt and the site of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Iraq. The Statue of Zeus stood 12 metres high and was made of ivory and gold. It is about to be Suzanne’s first of the seven wonders and was here in leafy green Olympia in Greece.

Where Delphi is dedicated to the god Apollo, Zeus rules here. In a broad verdant valley a complex dedicated to Zeus, the arts, philosophy and, most enduringly, of human sporting endeavour was constructed. The ancient Olympics were held here every 4 years starting in 776BC and finishing in 393 AD.

The foundation of the Temple of Zeus remains and a reconstructed Doric column. The stadium for sporting events has been excavated and we wander around it having the place to ourselves. It is easy to imagine the games unfolding before the spectators seated on the grassy slopes.

Driving in Greece and especially around Athens is not a prospect that I relish. Chaos is the best way to describe it narrow streets, double parked cars, cars, people and animals cutting across you. Massive cars confronting you head on when there seems to be only room for one car. Yet here I am about to do the unthinkable! The plan is to complete a round trip looping through the Pelopponese reprising the tour I went on in 1982.

Legend has it that Zeus sent out two eagles one from the east and the other from the west. Where they met, at the foot of Mt Parnassus is a massive cleft in the mountain range and it became the omphalos, the navel of the world. Initially the item was guarded by the terrible serpent, Python. Apollo killed the python and a temple was built dedicated o him in the 8th century BC. Between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, the Delphic oracle, a priestess who was named Pythia came forth with ambiguous pronouncements regarding the future. Her fame encouraged rulers and ordinary people from far and wide to come for a consultation.

Today this is an evocative site perched high along the mountainside. We enjoy a peaceful and interesting couple of hours here especially as this is now low season and tourists are less plentiful.

The sun is rising as we enter the world famous Acropolis. We stop at the temple of Herodotus to watch the sun rise over the Athenian hills. Then it is off to get some iconic pictures of the Parthenon in what is known as the golden hour of sunlight. Perhaps unsurprisingly there are no queues at this time of year and at eight in the morning but I have played it over cautiously and have pre-booked tickets throughout. My life partner tells me that this is a bucket list item for her and I am so happy to have brought her here.

Constructed around 500 BC on a rocky outcrop high above what is now a city, the Acropolis evolved into a number of temples celebrating the goddess Athena after whom Athens is named. Athena is a daughter of Zeus and is revered for her her wisdom, warfare and handicraft. When it came to Athens it was a choice between the gods Poseidon and Athena. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and water came forth. Athena provided an olive tree and she won the contest. We spend a magic 2 hours wandering around absorbing the history and scenery.

The afternoon has us walking to the Panathenaic Stadium. Just behind Syntagma square it is the stadium for the first modern day Olympics in 1896. In 1894 Baron Pierre de Coubertin proposed a modern day Olympiad in Greece. Athens pulled it off and it was a huge success. In those days it was less about nations and more about individual athletes. A Victorian named Edwin Flack was studying in the UK and decided to enrol for the games. He won gold in 2 races and bronze in tennis is is Australia’s first Olympians. His efforts had Australia 8th on the medals table. Punters can now enjoy the stadium and run around the track channeling their inner athlete. It is irritable and corny to play Chariots of Fire while running around the track but I went there.

The email offering an opportunity to bid for an upgrade for the Aegean flight arrives. It is a 70 minute flight from Corfu to Athens and I ignore the first email. When the second one arrives I have a play with the bidding and find that the minimum offer is 30 euro. As a joke I submit the offer and lo and behold it is accepted! We are at the pointy end, again.

Our apartment in Athens is amazingly central and we are literally no more than 15 minutes walk from all of the major attractions and surrounded by an abundance of great eateries. We fluke the 11am changing of the guard at the parliament in Syntagma square before heading towards the base of the Acropolis the super touristy Plaka. A maze of tourist shops, bars and cafes. For lunch we head to the recommended Psiri district only to find that we are a mere 100 metres from our accommodation. 

The afternoon has us exploring the 6th century BC Greek Agora again at the base of the Acropolis enjoying the warm autumn sunshine. My life partner has become a whiz at finding dining options. Dinner is a degustation menu at Makris restaurant. Stunning food as beautiful to eat as it is visually and about to gain its first Michelin star all at a non Michelin price.

Dressed in shorts and T shirt despite the early morning sun the wind chill on the boat had us shivering and the 3 hour trip to Paxos island was miserable. All was dispelled with the first view of Paxos’ main town Gaios. As the boat pulled in to the lovely fishing village the main square with its crimson painted church glistened in the bright sun. Before long we were sitting at a waterfront table enjoying a delicious lunch and wine. A post prandial walk along the waterfront and through the village has us reinvigorated.

Back on the boat the warmer afternoon has us loving the cruise. We sail to the smaller Antipaxos but decline the option of swimming in the now cooling Ionic sea. Circumnavigating Antipaxos reveals a rugged western coast with cliffs and sea caves and the captain expertly takes us deep into two of them. Cocktails and sunset round off a near perfect day.

Today I have driven around more hairpin bends than I have done all of my life. We have rented a car to drive around much of Corfu. It turns out to be a stressful experience up and down narrow winding mountain roads, often only wide enough for one car. Not to mention the narrow tracks through towns. Nonetheless it is worth the effort as the countryside is nothing short of stunning!

Our first destination was the Achilleion palace 10 km south of Corfu, a steep winding climb up a mountain this was built for Empress Sisi of Austria in 1889. It became her holiday residence until her untimely assassination. The palace is named after Achilles and was built in classic Greek style. There is a classic statue of Achilles with arrow in his heel as well as multiple statues of Minerva. There are amazing sea views.

North of Corfu our lunch stop is at Kassiopi. The drive has beautiful sea views and we eat alfresco on the sea front of this pretty fishing village.

After lunch the next stop is Canal d’Amour. Sandstone cliffs are reminiscent of Port Campbell in Victoria. Legend has it that couples who swim the canal together will find the love of their life. Despite the cooler autumn weather here there are many braving the cold waters for a swim.

The next stop is a rough hike to the viewpoint of Porto Timono beach. The pictures tell the tale

Our final stop is Paleokastritsa monastery.

Clickety clack as the poor little wheels on our suitcases struggle with the rough paving of Corfus old town. Our last morning in Albania proceeded uneventfully. The rented car is returned without any drama and we get the stamp from immigration and settled down for the 70 minute ferry across to Corfus Island which belongs to Greece. On clearing Greek formalities we were initially told it is a 10 minute walk to our apartment. We are on our way and it becomes evident that he true distance was 25 minutes. Coupled with erratic Google maps instructions we do a big loop through the old town and it is a sweaty 40 minute walk dragging our suitcases. Fortunately those little wheels survived the ordeal.

The afternoon restored our faith in this place with an exquisite old town, palace and the sublime old fort. The latter has layer upon layer of history. Built initially by the Greeks added to buy the Venetians and finally the British in the 1800s. Absolutely beautiful!

Our last day in Albania sees us driving to Gjirokaster, the stone city. It is so named for the old town buildings built in stone with stone roofs. The origins of the city date back to the 5th century AD but the castle was built in the 9th century AD.  It is a steady climb from the car park to the bazaar which is now a pretty network of pedestrian only streets catering to tourists with cafes, bars and souvenir shops.

A brooding fortress looms high above us and dominates the landscape. It is a stiff climb but the views from the rampart are well worth the effort. Apart from its role as a fortress it has a darker recent past. Under communist rule the evil dictator Enver Hoxha used it as a prison to interrogate, torture and incarcerate political prisoners