The INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST TEMPLE

TEMPLE GARDEN

This is the garden of the International Buddhist Temple in Richmond, B.C. I've written in more detail about it a year ago in my travel blog, but this past week I paid another visit there so I could do a new story for The Vancouver Guide. This has to be one of the most beautiful places to go on a field trip, yet a great many people have never taken the time to visit here.

This temps is an exquisite example of chinese palatial architecture. The statuary, mosaics, gardens, Worship Halls and many various Buddha shrines are simply amazing. I once heard a man who had been to China say that he thought it was more beautiful than the big temple in Beijing.

MAGNIFICENT GOLDEN BUDDHA

If you want to spend a quiet afternoon meditating and relaxing in lush, exotic surrounds, be sure and go there. It's free, and it's open every day.

ENTRANCE TO THE MAIN GRACIOUS HALL

You can read more details about the Temple in The Vancouver Guide, or in my earlier Blog.

The Temple is open 9.30 to 5:00 pm daily. www.BuddhistTemple.org

BUDDHA WITH OFFERINGS

HERITAGE SITES IN VANCOUVER

This is the beautiful stone Gothic style Christ Church Cathedral in the heart of Vancouver's downtown. It was built in the late 1800's but in recent years underwent impressive renovations. I attended a concert there recently and was awe-struck by the beautiful interior of the Church.
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Another area of town where there are heritage buildings include this cenotaph at Victory Square. The tall building behind it is the Dominion Building. The cenotaph stands on what was the park grounds of Vancouver's origianal Court House where men signed up to enlist in the Great War. Now the cenotaph marks this place of Remembrance and every November 11 there is a huge ceremony and wreath-laying at Victory Square.

One thing about being a 'Roving Reporter', I learn a lot about my city's history. I had not known the story behind the cenotaph and Victory Square until I went on this field trip to take photos of the wreaths. Then I began to do some research about it and learned that the first stake marking the roads of the new settlement of "Granville" (Gastown) which became the city of Vancouver, was located just at the one side of the the Square. This used to be the heart of Vancouver's financial and legal district but now the area has become somewhat run-down and attempts are being made to gentrify it.

2010 WINTER OLYMPICS:Venues

This is the outside of the Richmond Oval, the venue for speed skating for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It's an impressive building and I was lucky enough to get a little tour. Unfortunately you're not allowed to publish photos of the interior which is quite spectacular, with a ceiling made of pine-beetle wood. The day we were there, a lot of school kids were skating on the oval. You can still skate there until November 31, and then it will be closed til after the Winter Olympic Games.

Last week they lit up the Olympic sign in Burrard Inlet. Quite a spectacular and impressive show with a backdrop of the North Shore mountains. It's located in Coal Harbour right off the new Convention Centre where the media will be stationed during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

This was my first look at the new convention centre at night, all lit up. You used to be able to walk all around the permimeter of it but now it's fenced off for Olympic security and you can only view it from the street. You can see the Olympic rings just off shore and the lights of North Vancouver.

FINNS SLOUGH

This is a field trip I went on to visit Finns Slough, a heritage settlement on the Fraser River near Steveston B.C. where a group of Finnish fisherment settled at the turn of the century. There are still several of the family members living in houseboats and shacks at the Slough

You can walk across this board bridge, which is made so the board slats could be removed to allow the fishing boats to enter the slough.
The little shacks can be reached along a narrow path on the other side of the bridge. The residents want Finns Slough to be named a designated Heritage Site. It's an usual place and worth keeping. You can read more about it in The Vancouver Guide
www.planeteyetraveler.com/travel/north-america/vancouver

STEVESTON, B.C.

These are photos of a field trip to Steveston B.C. where there are many heritage buildings including the old boat building sheds, canneries, and remains of the settlement of Japanese fishermen.

Today Steveston has become a trendy residential area and a good place to eat seafood, or to buy fresh seafood right from the fishermen.
You can read about it in The Vancouver Guide, www.planeteyetraveler.com/travel/north-america/vancouver

ANAFIOTIKA and MY FAREWELL TO ATHENS

My Friend Giorgos' house in Anafiotika

JUNE 23, 2009
It's my last day here. I leave at 5 a.m the next morning. So I spent the day wandering around some of the places I'd missed. One of my most favorite places, hidden on the south slope of the Acropolis and often missed by tourists, is the little 'village' of Anafiotika.

This collection of typical white-washed cubic houses was built on the slope of the Acropolis by folks from the Cycladic island of Anafi whose village had been destroyed in an earthquake. They came to Athens and worked as cheap labor during the rebuilding of the city after the War of Independance.

You get the feeling you are really in a village, isolated from the bustle of the metropolis. The streets are barely an arm's width, paved with cobblestonoes. The tiny houses are shuttered and have bright bougainvillea spilling over their walls or pots of geraniums and marigolds.

I had a friend, Giorgos, who lived in Anafiotika, and when I first started visiting Greece in 1978, he often invited me to stay with him. Later on, in the '80's, a friend of mine from the States lived there with him for a year. Unfortunately, Giorgos, who was an Australian Greek, died several years ago. So now the house sits empty. But each time I'm in Athens I have to walk by and look, and remember all the times I spent there.

You walk the twisted streets of Anafiotika, and eventually come to a slanting road that leads up to my most favorite viewpoint. I used to go up there often just to sit and meditate. It's quite up there and you can hear the distant sounds of the city. You can hear Athen's 'voice' and feel her pulse. Yes, Athens is a very alive city. And it's that life that has made me love Her so much.

So, on my last day, I went to my meditation place to sit and contemplate the time I'd spent there that summer, reminisce about times gone by, dream about my return.

The view looks down over the red roofs of Plaka, the old city
and out over the sweeping view of the new.
That's Lykavittos Mt. in the background.

MY LAST DAYS IN ATHENS: Retracing Old Footsteps

TOUR BUS

JUNE 22/09
This was Anna-Britt's last day in Athens and I only had one day left myself. So we set off to retrace old, familiar footsteps around our favorite city. Of course we walked around Plaka, and I always have to stop and peek through the fence of #14 Vironos St where I used to live (and sometimes wish I still did!). Then we went to one of our favorite tavernas for lunch, Kouklis (which we always call "The place of the flaming sausages) on Tripodon St.

ME, AT KOUKLIS TAVERNA

After lunch we went and walked around the new Acropolis Museum and then we decided to do something very touristic. We took the little "Sunshine Express" touris train on a tour around Athen's historical center. This was more fun than we'd expected and worth the 5 Euro we paid for the trip which took about an hour.

We got on the train atAilolou St. by Hadrian's library. The train circles around up to Syntagma Square, along Mitropoleos St. to Monastiraki and past there to Thissiou passing by all the major archaeological sites. It was fun. We felt like a couple of kids. So it was a great way to spend our last day together in Athens.

As always, I was sad to see my friend leave (for Norway) but we'll get together again next year as we always do. We have promises to fulfil to each other: When she finishes her doctorate and I get my novel accepted for publication, we plan to treat ourselves to a trip to Egypt (from Athens.) A dream or a reality? We'll see. But it's certainly a great motivator.

THE PARTHENON

THE NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

MUSEUM ENTRANCE
(walking over the 'glass' above ancient Athens)

JUNE 22/09
We've waited years for the new Acropolis Museum to open. It seemed as if they've never get it finished as each time they excavated they'd find new ruins below the ground. In the block around the museum site they had torn down some familiar buildings including one of my favorite tavernas, Socrates Prison, and the whole block of apartments where a couple of friends including our friend Graham used to live (right across from the To Kati Allo on Hatzichristou St.)

But finally, this weekend, the Museum officially opened. There's been a lot of grumbling by everyone about the structure which looks very 'industrial', however when they showed the holograms on the east wall, and when you saw it from the helicopter view as I did when watching the ceremonies on TV, you see that the building is designed to compliment the shape of the Acropolis (which is right across the road from the museum). After seeing the opening ceremonies I was anxious to have a look inside.

LOOKING DOWN ON A MOSIAC FROM THE ROMAN ERA

My friend Anna Britt was lucky enough to get inside on Sunday with her museum pass. Unfortunately I didn't have mine with me and need to have it updated. (It's a special pass for scholars and researchers allowing you access into all archaeological sites in Greece). The first couple of days were by reservation only (internet) and the after that, from Wednesday on, there was general admission for only 1 Euro. But the disapointing thing was, I was leaving early Wednesday morning so I'd miss the chance.

We did walk all around the outside, over the 'glass' roofs that they have placed over the three layers of ancient Athens: Byzantine, Roman and Classical. It gives you the feeling of 'flying' as you pass over the ruins. Quite a spectacular experience. I understand they will also be opening up a 'street' where you can actually walk right through on ground level. So by the next time I'm in Greece I'll be able to see what I missed this time.

ANCIENT WELL

The museum is an angualr structure of glass, steel, concrete and marble housing some 4,000 artifacts some of which had once been housed in a museum right on the Acropolis. The main feature of this museum is the Parthenon Marbles, and the famous "Elgin Marbles" now housed in the British Museum. At the opening ceremonies the focus was on these missing pieces that belong with the pediment of the Parthenon. It is hoped that now there is a safe place to keep them, the Brits will return them to Athens. (It was noted that the British representatives did not attend the opening ceremonies.)

REFLECTION IN THE WINDOWS OF THE MUSEUM

So, I've only viewed the museum from the outside. At night you can see the statues lined up on the top floor, bathed in golden light. On the east wall, across from the tavernas on Makgrianni St. there is a display of holograms every evening -- quite a spectacular show to watch while eating dinner or enjoying a glass of wine. I will wait with great anticipation next time I visit Greece for a chance to look inside. As I've seen it from the time the first bulldozers started to clear the land, the museum has been a part of my visits to Greece for a long, long time.

A LOVELY WEEKEND WITH MY FRIENDS

DINAZ

SUNDAY, June 21

Dinaz and I have been friends since 1994. I called her "The Persian Princess" because she is the embodiment of one of the Persian Princesses in my novel. The name has stuck. In fact, she is Parsi from Bombay but has lived in Greece for many years as she was married to a Greek/Italian man from Bombay. She is now married to another lovely Greek man named Andreas. When I go to Athens I always enjoy spending some time with them, and I'm always welcomed into their home.

The day after our journey to Euboeia we spent a lot of time together just talking, catching up on news, and reminiscing about our times together in Athens as well as our dear friends Roberto and Graham who have passed away. In the afternoon we went to the seaside and had some delicious gelato at an icecream parlour.

SUNSET FROM DINAZ'S HOUSE

That day we also watched the opening ceremonies of the new Acropolis Museum on TV. It was a lot like watching the Academy Awards with all the red-carpet guests arriving and being interviewed. Of course it was all in Greek so I didn't understand much of what was said.

HIBISCUS, in Dinaz balcony garden.

I spent the night there, a very relaxing time with good friends and great camaraderie.
I can hardly wait to see them again and think of them all the time. These are friends who will remain forever. Our lives are entwined and we have so much history to share.

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY TO EUBOEIA: Part 2 LALA

View of LALA

On Saturday June 20, we drove down to the south of Euboeia from Stira to visit the little mountain village where I spent several years. It turned out to be the strangest experience. Instead of the village people coming out to greet me like they always have in the past, the village seemed deserted. A lot of the older houses were shuttered up and looked as if the occupants had gone for good (probably died). And those that were occupied were also shuttered up with not one person around. It's a very tiny village, no more than 100 houses built up the side of the scoop of a mountain. Mainly shepherds live there and perhaps they were up on the mountain with their flocks. Or perhaps, like my dear friend Mitso who died a few years ago, they are gone too. I had hoped to at least see my friend Erasmia. Her flower pots were all in bloom but there wasn't a soul stirring around her property.

I wanted to look at my old spitaki but the gate was locked and my Greek/Canadian friends who had let me use the little house, were no longer at their own place. It looked as though it was falling into ruin.

Sadly, we walked through the quiet, deserted village and went to another of the once-magical places where I loved to rest in the afternoons by the waterfall, under the big plane trees.

THE MILL HOUSE

The mill house still looked the same and I wonder if someone is living in it. My little spitaki was very similar but had two doors, one for each of the two rooms. They are very old houses, built with stone and have thick walls. My spitaki was originally built in 1457 and probably so was this mill house.

I stopped to take a drink of the fresh cold mountain water and to wash under the waterfall. It was always a favorite place to go on a hot day like this was. I used to sit there for hours writing in my journal.

THE WATERFALL

The Dinaz and I walked along the road toward the cemetary because I wanted to put flowers on Mitso's grave. When we eventually got there, we discovered that the little graveyard was very unkempt, some of the graves smashed and I couldn't find Mitso's grave. Eventually I saw one that said "Sophie Kousoukos 2006" and I recognized it as his last name, perhaps his sister's grave. Then we remembered that the custom is to remove the bones of the dead after two years and put them in an ossiary. So Mitso had been removed from his grave and his sister, who had died after him, was now resting there. I left the pomegrante flower anyway. I'm sure his spirit was lurking around the village that day and he's know I had come.

MITSO'S HOUSE, the white one at the top
my spitaki was lower down behind the trees

And so we left Lala. I don't know if I'll ever return there. The magic was gone after Mitso died, and now it seems almost as if the village itself has died. I wonder where everyone was?
It was the oddest and eeriest experience and left me feeling very sad. But it was a closure, I guess. My heart has always been there, up on that mountainside. I almost made a decision to marry Mitso before he so suddenly passed away of lung cancer. And now I wonder if there is any reason why I should ever return there again. My Vancouver Greek friends are elderly, and Antonio has Parkinsons, her husband Jimmy has a heart condition. It didn't look as though any family member was taking care of the property up there. No doubt the little spitaki which I loved so much is falling to ruin like the rest of their property. It's a tragedy, really.

A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY TO EUBOEIA: Part 1

STIRA, Euboea

JUNE 20, 2009
On Saturday I went with my friends Andreas and Dinaz on the ferry to Stira, one of the towns on the west coast of Euboeia, the large island right off the coast of Attica. A few years ago our very good friend Graham Peacock had bought himself a retirement home there. Graham had lived right across from the new acropolis and the city had expropriated all the apartment buildings on the block (across the street from To Kati Allo). So he was very much looking forward to moving over to the island.

Unfortunately, Graham didn't make it. He had barely begun to move in and settle when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He died very shortly afterwards. His properly was willed to his cousin and that weekend, since the cousin was visiting from England, we went over for the morning to see the apartment and so I could be introduced to the cousin.

A PAINTING OF GRAHAM by our friend Mike Cornford.

Graham was a music aficionado -- mainly jazz -- and had a huge collection of CD's as well as a meticulously kept ledger of all the jazz musicians and every piece of music they'd recorded or written. Graham was a retired accountant and very good at keeping track of things. He also had a large collection of books and I was allowed to choose one. I took the one about Lord Byron as I've always intended to write a story about Byron in Greece.

I was so amazed to see Graham's house and it made it even more tragic that he had died so soon. It's a lovely, huge apartment overlooking the fields and sea. I know he'd have lived a very happy life there. Unfortunately the relatives won't be spending much time there, which is a shame. I know if Graham had lived he would have invited his close friends to come and share his place with him. It's such a big apartment -- more like a complete house -- with several bedrooms and a huge salon with fireplace as well as a very big deck with this magnificent view.

MANGAS, a painting by our friend Robert Hallberg

We had a very close group in Athens. Dinaz and I were very good friends of Graham and she was with him right up til he died. We had thought perhaps some of his possessions such as some CDs and paintings by our friend Roberto would be passed on to his close friends, but they weren't. However the day we visited a couple of paintings by our friend Roberto (who died several years earlier) were offered to Dinaz and I. She took this Mangas painting. (The Mangas was one of Roberto's favorite subjects) but the other one was not one that I wanted so I only took a photo of it.

In all, this was a very sentimental journey day. Because after we left Graham's house in Stira, we drove down the island on the winding, cliff-hanging roads, to my little village of Lala.

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AROUND ATHENS

Anna Britt and I at the To Kati Allo Taverna

JUNE 18/19, 2009

I love hanging out in Athens with my friend Anna Britt. She had come all the way from Norway to help me celebrate my birthday and when I went off to the islands with my sister and niece, she was undecided about where to go. She usually goes to Santorini but I wasn't sure. So when we ended up unexpectedly on Santorini I was thinking about her, and keeping watch in case we ran into her. She always stays at a 'monastery' there and for some reason I didn't stop to think it would be a Catholic monastary.

We were on the ferry preparing to return to Athens from Santorini, just stowing our luggage when I heard this familiar voice say "What are you doing here?" It was Anna Britt. She had been in Santorini all that time and in fact was staying only a few blocks from our hotel. What a co-incidence that we met up on the ferry!

So when we got back into town, after Jean and Debra had left for Canada, AB and I set off on some adventures of our own. We always like cruising around town, checking out various shops and tavernas...always looking for new places to hang out in preparations for our next visit. The To Kati Allo Taverna in Magkrianni is a sort of 'base camp' for all of us, but we also like venturing farther afield to the Plaka and Monastiraki areas.

Somehow I never get tired of wandering those same old streets, looking in the shops, retracing my steps from all the years I've been going to Greece since 1979, and all the years I lived there from 1983 - 1987. It's all so familiar to me. I could walk around blindfolded.

That evening we went and sat at a sidewalk taverna on Makgrianni st. and watched the hologram show that is projected on the wall of the new Acropolis Museum each night. I tried taking photos of it but they didn't turn out. It's quite a show and a great way to spend the evening being entertained.

On the weekend I'm going to stay with Dinaz and Andreas and we are going to Euboeia for the day, a trip I am very much looking forward to. I haven't been back to Lala for 4 years, not since my shepherd, Mitso, died. So it will definitely be a sentimental journey.

Here are some scenes from the Monastiraki district. (Above) nut sell- sellers.
Below, a busy street of tavernas where you can buy delicious souvlakia for real cheap!

BACK IN ATHENS: The Icon Painter

Dimitris Zazanis, the icon painter

JUNE 18,2009

A couple of years ago my friend Anna Britt introduced me to this talented icon painter who she has been friends with for several years. I got interested in Dimitris Zazanis' icons after she had bought me one for a gift. So for the past couple of trips to Greece going for a visit to his workshop has been part of my visits to Athens.

Dimitris has a tiny shop on a ramshackle narrow street off the square of Monastiraki near the flea market and bazaar. He wasn't always located there. Anna Britt tells me that when she first met him, he had a much better shop on one of the more tourist-popular streets in Plaka. But, due to the hot real estate market in Athens some years ago he had to give up his shop and move to a more humble abode. Dimitris isn't into the posh touristic boutique style of shop. He works alone, a dedicate artist in a real workshop. His tiny space is crammed with the fruits of his labours: Icons of every size and religious subject, all hand-painted with loving care.

When Anna Britt and I visited him this trip, we sat and chatted awhile as we usually do. Dimitris speaks English and is in fact adept at several languages. He's an interesting, intelligent man. Despite health set-backs he runs his business on this shabby backwater street where few tourists would ever venture. Anna Britt and I encouraged him to get a website and advertise. He doesn't know about these things so we are thinking of setting one up for him, because he certainly does deserve publicity. His icons are beautiful works of art, not the mass-produced icons you see in tourist shops. I have two of them now and have bought icons for my children and my friends.

If you go to Athens, look for his humble little shop on this street, just off the main street that runs by Monastiraki. Aghias Theklas St. 13. The name of the shop is Zazanis Icon Shop.

After our visit to buy some icons, Anna Britt and I meandered around the old haunts. This street (below) is Vironos St. where I used to live at #14 Vironos all during the '80's. I always like to pass by and stop outside the gate. There are so many memories on this street!

Then we went over to Makgrianni to our favorite taverna and had something to eat and a cold Mythos beer (our favorite drink). It was good to be back in Athens and to have some days to spend with my girlfriends, wandering about all the old familiar places. On the weekend I'm going to Euboeia with my friends Dinaz and Andreas to visit the little village, Lala, where I used to live part-time and also to pay a visit to the cousins of our dear friend Graham who inherited his house in Stira after he unfortunately died. Five more days to catch up on news, memories and enjoy this city that I love so much!

TASTING SANTORINI WINE: Visiting the Boutari Winery

The Boutari Winery

JUNE 15 (part of the ill-fated 'tour' we took around Santorini.)
The one good part of our supposed 'tour' was the first request we made, to visit the Boutari Winery. There are several wineries on Santorini but because I favor Boutari wine, I wanted to see how it is made and what products they have that are not exported. As I expected, their best wines are not exported, but we got to taste them and learn a lot about Greek wine, especially the wines of Santorini.

The wine steward explains the wines.

The wines of Santorini are special because of the way they grow the grapes. The vines are coiled close to the ground to protect the fruit from the heat and winds. The wind in Santorini is very strong so this provents the vines from being damaged or blown over. We were invited for a tour of the winery and intrudiced to the art of wine tasting by the wine steward.

We tasted six different varieties both white and red. Selladia Boutari is a dry white wine, with the fresh and aromatic scents of green banana, white peach and citrus bossoms.; Santorini Boutari, another dry white with a subtle citrus aroma, full bodied and a long after-taste. Kallisti Reserve Boutari, a brilliant yellow dry white had a complex aroma of wood, hazelnuts, smoke and vanilla (the result of aging). It's excellent with shellfish and grilled fish.
Nykteri Boutari, another dry white with a golden color and high alcohol content, was aged 20 years. It's a rich tasting wine, good with spiced dishes, sea food and grilled fish.

In the red catagory, Experiemental Madilaria Boutari is a semi-sweet, fruit wine. I enjoyed the rich taste. It can be enjoyed as an apertif. Vinsanto Boutari is another naturally sweet wine with a characteristic orange-yellow colour acquired from the grape's exposure to the sun and the length of time the wine is kept in the barrel. It's a slight amber/red color with a dark, syrupy texture. Best served as an apertif or to accompany desserts. I brought a bottle of Vinsato home to save for the wrap party when I finish my novel.

The somalier told us that Bourtari is trying to break into the cartels and export more of these fine wines which are not available in Canada. Besides the bottle of Boutari wine I brought home for sentimental reasons I got a bottle of "Lava" rose, from the Vulcan Wineries. That's the first kind of Santorini wine I tasted on my first visit to the island in 1979.

A Santorini vineyard

If you want more information on the Boutari Winery in Santorini: www.boutari.gr

SPECTACULAR SANTORINI

Fira, Santorini, perched on the edge of the caldera

SANTORINI: June 13 - 16, 2009

Without a doubt, Santorini has to be the most dramatic of all the Greek islands. The story of the volcanic explosion that took place there some time between 2000 and 1600 BC is like something out of science fiction. It is said it was the most powerful volcanic eruption recorded next to Krakatoa. It blew apart the island, leaving just fragments around the rim of the still smouldering caldera in the centre of the bay. The eruption and tsunamis it created played a major role in the destruction of the Minoan empire in Crete (and that's where Theseus was fleeing from when he abandoned the Cretan princess Ariadne on Naxos). Reports in the Bible tell of the ash falling over Egypt. All that is left of that mighty empire are a few fragmented ruins, Akrotiri and ancient Thira high up on a hillside. At Akrotiri they discovered some of the brilliant wall paintings the Minoans were noted for. Its a bit like Pompeii although on a small scale but I don't believe they discovered bodies. In fact, I wonder where everyone went? Did they heed the omens and escape before their island was blown to smithereens?

View of the caldera (crater)

The main town is Fira and from the edge of the cliffside you get magnificent views of the caldera and the surrounding islands that were once part of the whole island of Thira. It is also the place where you go in the evening to watch the fantastic sunsets. There are lots of tavernas and wine bars along the edge of the caldera where you can enjoy an evening meal or a drink while you see the splendid sunset show accompanied by suitable music. A very dramatic experience indeed!

Red Beach

We set off on another 'tour' which didn't turn out so well. The so-called guide who drove the mini van didn't speak English and wouldn't listen to our instructions. We were supposed to be able to choose where we wanted to go. He insisted on ignoring us and led us on a merry chase that would have cost us a bundle ($50 an hour for this rip-off 'tour) but we made such a fuss in the end we only had to pay $50 for 1 hour. That was the trip to the Boutari winery where we had a very good wine tasting experience with an excellent wine steward. Other than that, we wanted to visit Akrotiri and found it was closed. (Learned later that everyone in Greece knew it was closed and had been for some time, due to a tragic accident at the site). So the 'guide' then insisted on driving us to Ancient Thira where we had been already told the road was closed. In spite of our protests he drove up the winding narrow road where the wind was blowing so hard it threatened to blow the van off the road. We protested loudly and insisted this lunatic take us back to our hotel but he kept on driving around the island and finally we got back to the hotel.

The next day we set off by bus (we should have done this all along. Very cheap!) and headed for Akrotiri again. That's when we found out about the closure. So we hiked along the beach and the very rocky edge of a cliff and climbed down a pathway with red stones so sharp you could cut yourself if you fell, to one of the famous volcanic beaches of Santorini, Red Beach. The beach really is red, because all the stones and sand are from the volcano's eruption.

One thing my sister and niece enjoyed on Santorini was the shopping. It's a pricey and very touristic island and there's a lot of trendy shops as well as the usual souveniers. So I spent a lot of time hanging around waiting for them to make their purchases.

Every night we went to the cliff side coffee bars and found a good place to sit to watch the sunset. This is the main feature of the island and everyone flocks to the edge to watch.
Every night it's a bit more spectacular than the last. And somehow you never get tired of snapping photos of it.

Santorini Sunset

Finally our island hopping holiday was over. It was time to return to Athens as Jean and Debra had to catch a flight the next day back home. I still had six days left to visit with my friends and see a few more sights.

NAXOS: ARIADNE'S ISLAND

Naxos Beach II Hotel

NAXOS, June 10 - 13, 2009
This island, the largest of the Cyclades, is one of my favorite Greek islands. This was the fourth time I've been here. Twice I came on solo camping trips, and two years ago I visited with my friend Anna Britt. I wanted my sister and niece to experience this unique island as, like all the islands in Greece, it has it own very special charm.

The island is the one where Theseus, when he was fleeing from captivity and chaos in Crete, bringing along the Cretan princess Ariadne, stopped on his way back to Athens. Somehow he 'lost' or 'abandoned' Ariadne. There are various stories. One is that she ran off with Dionysos, the god of wine and was so entranced that Theseus left her behind. At the harbour entrance there is a small island with the remains of a temple built for Apollo that was never finished. Only the portal stands. There is also a sanctuary for Ariadne near there.

No matter what Ariadne's story is, Naxos is an intriguing island. The first time I visited here I had a definite feeling of abandonment, with the many coastal villages that had been abandoned due to pirate raids. You have to take the round the island tour if you go to Naxos and you will learn all about it's fantastic history.

The Venetian ruled here for some years and at the main port of Naxos town there is a Venetian castle on the hill overlooking the harbour, and still some ruined buildings that are distinctly Venetian style, including the vaulted little cobblestone streets of the old city called Kastro.

I had wanted to stay at a beach hotel, but we were unable to get the one I had stayed in last time. Instead we had this very nice hotel which was high on a hill with a view of the beach below and the hills. We were able to take taxis down to the beach and from there catch the island bus into town. But next time I go back I would like to go to the Maragas Beach camp site again, where I camped several years ago. There are 25 kilometers of sandy beach on the Naxos coast. It's really a beautiful paradise!

Maragas Beach

The round-the-island bus tour, with an excellent tour guide on board, is an all-day tour, taking you around the whole island on winding hair-pin mountain roads giving you a panorama view of the countryside. Naxos is a fertile island, unlike barren Mykonos, producing olives, grapes, figs, citrus, corn and the best potatoes you've ever tasted. There are also emery mines on the island.
It was an important island during the Byzantine period and there are about 500 churchs and monasteries. The bus tour stops as several of the mountain villages, a ceramics workshop, and (my favorite) the distillery where they distill Kitron, a liquor brewed from the kitron, a large, lumpy lemon-like fruit once called by the Greek 'the Median apple'. Possibly the first of these fruits were brought to Greece by Alexander who sent many samples of flora and fauna back from Persia for Aristotle, his teacher.

There are three colors and strengths of this liquor: white is the strongest, yellow is medium strength and sweetness, green is more like an apertif. You can drink it straight (in a shooter glass) or mix it. The bar girl at the hotel mixed the green kitron with coconut liqueur and white rum for a drink call "Ariadne of Naxos". I brought some white kitron home with me this time and will try it myself.

The winding mountain roads

One of the interesting things you'll see on your trip around the island is this giant 7th century kouros which was cracked when carved and left in situ. It's supposed to be a statue of Apollo and is near the coast town of Apollonas where we stopped for lunch and a swim.

7th century kouros

We had purchased tickets to go to Samos Island and from there intended to go to Kusadasi Turkey. Unfortunately, we mis-read the time on the ferry and when we got to the port we discovered it had left at 1 a.m. not 1 p.m . as we thought. What to do? It happened that there was a ferry arriving at 1 p.m. for Santorini. So, after a brief discussion, we decided to hop on it and go. My sister and niece were actually delighted by this change of plans. I was disappointed about not going to Samos, but I hadn't been to Santorini for about 20 years, so I was just as pleased with our quick decision. Although I was sorry to be leaving the beautiful beaches of Naxos (which we didn't get enough time to really enjoy) I was keen to see what Santorini was like now -- it was an island I had avoided because of the heavy tourism. But it was time to return there and see for myself if it had changed from the days when I used to stay there on little Perissa beach.

MERRY MYKONOS

JUNE 8 & 9, 2009 MYKONOS

The word "merry" being another word for "gay" seems appropriate for this fun-filled island which happens to be the gay capital of the Mediterranean, a title it's held for quite a few years. I've found though, that if you visit there before the height of the summer season you'll not be shocked or bothered by the antic of the groups of partying gays who descend on Mykonos each year. Believe me, I've heard the stories, straight from the mouths of friends who have worked there in tourism. But the town folk put up with it, because it's money. However, each time I've been to Mykonos, (this was the fourth time) I've always gone there before mid June and there has never been anything 'shocking
or lewd happening there. In fact, in spite of it's crowded narrow streets and the fact that next to Santorini it's the most expensive Greek island and the most touristic, it's quite a pleasant little island. Definitely the 'post card Greece', so unlike the little mountain villages I so love.

Mykonos is one of the Cycladic islands. The town of Mykonos, the island's main port, is build with a whorl of narrow streets. It's tricky to find your way around the warren of allyways but you'll never get really 'lost'. The town is not very big. The population is around 7,000 but when the cruise ships hit town and the ferries unload their hordes of tourists, you'd think the little island might sink.

The last two times I've been to Mykonos I chose a small hotel just on the outskirts, only about a 15 minute walk into town, with beach access. (Mykonos Beach: see top picture) I recommend this comfortable little hotel with it's lovely view and pleasant ambience. Just down the road is a wonderful beach taverna "Joanna's Nikos Place". Joanna, the proprietor is a British woman who has lived on the island for many years. If you eat or buy a drink at her taverna you can use the beach chairs. The beach there is small but sandy and reasonably uncrowded.

Of course there's a lot to do in this tiny town, especially if you like shopping like my sister and neice do. I love browsing the trendy shops too, and bought myself some gorgeous jewelry with money my Athens friends had given me for my birthday.

We wandered all around taking photos. Every corner you take is a photo op. There's the famous windmills and the sugar-cube houses, and the many churches with their red or blue domes, especially the famous and much photographed Panagia Paraportiani, which is actully 3 churches in one and looks like it's covered with white icing.

There's lots of good restaurants and taverns and yes, gay bars too. One favorite place to go is Little Venice which is right on the water (see photo above). It may be one of the most romantic spots in Mykonos. Especially if you go at sunset. Although not as spectacular as the Santorini sunsets, the ones you see on Mykonos run a close second. People cluster around the shoreline waiting for the right photo moment. The night we were there, a cruise ship was anchored off-shore.

We stayed on Mykonos for two days, then caught the ferry on to Naxos.

LEARNING ABOUT THE ARCHAEOLOGY IN ATHENS

THEATRE OF DIONYSOS

JUNE 7/09 The day after my birthday some of the party guests met to tour around the archaeological sites of Athens. This happened to be a day that I somehow forgot my camera so the photos shown here are from the last birthday party two years ago. We did the same things, though, and saw all the identical sites.

The usual program is to go first to the Theatre of Dionysos. It's at the foot of the Acropolis south side, and when you buy a ticket it covers all the sites around the Acropolis. Lucky us! That day it was all free! When we go to the theatre we sit on the marble seats where the people used to watch the dramas and Anna Britt gives her lecture about the ancient Greek theatre. (She is writing her doctorate on Aristophanes). She's not supposed to do this as only credited guides can give lectures on the sites, but we're very discreet and manage it. It really is interesting, espcially to those who know nothing about the ancient theatres and how the dramas were performed. This theatre was reconstructed in the 4th century BC. It had a seating capacity of 17,000 spread over 64 tiers of seats (only 20 survive).

THEATRE OF HEROD ATTICUS

This enormous theatre also on the flank of the Acropolis, was built in AD 161 by a wealthy Roman who dedicated it to his wife. This theatre is still used for theatre, music and dance performances. It's quite a thrill to attend one.

THE CARYATIDS

Of course, the Acropolis and all it's magnificent temples, especially the Parthenon, is the most significant site in Athens. When I lived there, I used to go up at least once a week. Now, even though I've seen it hundreds of times, I still visit and I'm still in awe.

The Parthenon, which means "Virgin's apartment" as it housed a splendid statue of Athena, goddess of the city, was built in 400 BC, the largest Doric temple in Greece. It's built entirely of Pentelic marble. Over the years the marble was eroding so in the past years a lot of restoration work has been done and now the Parthenon is gleaming like new again (well, almost like new! There are still pieces missing from the famous pediment that the Greeks are trying to get back from the British Museum.) And unfortunately the building suffered serious damage back in the days when the Turks were storing munitions there and it blew up.

With the new Acropolis museum open now, all the treasures and statues that were in the museum up on the Acropolis have now been moved into their splendid new home. (More about the new museum in another post). For now, the reconstructing continues. This time the scaffolding was around the little Temple of Athena Nike. Finally the beautiful Caryatids are showing themselves off without scaffolding hiding their lovely forms. These are copies of the originals which are in the museum because the others were damaged by weather and pollution or taken away to other places by treasure seekers. (I think one of them is in Paris). Still, you get the idea of how they looked, holding up the roof of the Erectheion which was one of the Acropolis most sacred sites. When you view the holograms on the east wall of the new museum at night, you will see the Caryatids who will wink and smile at you, then shake their heads. You'll also be able to get a good view of their elaborate hair-dos.

THE TEMPLE OF HEPHAESTION
ANCIENT AGORA

Once we've taken our time looking at all the beautiful temples on the Acropolis, we make our way down the Sacred Way into the ancient agora. This was Athen's meeting place in ancient times, where administrative, commercial and political life was the focal point as well as social activity. To really appreciate the agora I think you need to educate yourself a little about the life in ancient Athens. There's a lot of government buildings in the agora besides the great Odeon that was from Roman times. You can find the little shop ruins where the shoemaker lived who was a friend of Socrates. It is said Socrates used to hang out with him there. You can also find the prison where Socrates was held before given the hemlock.

The site was first developed in the 6th century BC but when the Persians raided the city in 480 BC they destroyed it and a new agora was built in its place, flourishing by Pericles' time and continuing to do business until AD 267 when it was destroyed by more invaders. The Turks build a few residential quarters on the site that were later demolished.

The Temple of Hephaestion is the main monument in the Agora as well as the Stoa of Attalos which is a reconstruction and contains a small museum. The beautiful Temple was on the western edge of the agora that was surrounded by foundries and metalwork shops so it was dedicated to Hephaestus, god of the forge. It's the best preserved Doric temple in Greece, built in 449 BC by Ictinus, one of the architects of the Parthenon.

There's lots more to see around the agora, and you can wander there for hours. It was a hot, hot day though, so we headed over to Plaka to find a shaded taverna where we could eat lunch. We usually go to the one right beside the agora where my old friend Aris works. I've known him since my first trip to Greece in 1989 and he is always very happy to see me.

This was the end of our week in Athens. Tomorrow we'll head for the Islands. Mykonos will be our first stop.

MY BIRTHDAY ON THE HILL OF THE NYMPHS, ATHENS

HERE WE ARE, THE WHOLE GANG, AT MY BIRTHDAY PARTY

JUNE 6, 2009 CELEBRATING MY BIG BIRTHDAY ON THE HILL OF THE NYMPHS.

In all the times I've lived in Athens, we've always had our favorite sunset picnic spot. So this year, because it was my very special Big Birthday, I wanted to celebrate it here. And because it was special, I invited friends from Canada to join me and my Athens friends. My sister Jean and niece Debra came as well as my friend Shong who brought along her friend Louisa who works in Kiev. Anna Britt came from Norway and had a friend of hers along, and Patrick came from Germany. The Athens friends were Christina, Dinaz, Andreas and Ove, a Danish archaeologist. Mike, the English artist and his Greek lady friend arrived a bit later. So it was quite the multicultural group.

The Hill of the Nymphs is located just behind the Pnyx where the ancient
Assembly met. It was the location of many homes of affluent and famous Greek politicians and generals such as Themistokles, Miltiades and others. There is a panorama view of Athens out to Pireaus and the outlying islands, Salamis and Aegina. And it is surrounded by other Hills, Filopapos and of course it is directly below the Acropolis. Talk about a memorable spot for a birthday party!

THE NYMPHS ON THE HILL

We all brought food including two delicious pizzas and lots of wine. We watched the sunset, and then a full moon rose over Filopapos Hill. Truly an auspicious omen! The night was full of fun and magic and good vibes. My friends are a blessing and it was so special having my sister, niece and Shong come all the way from Canada to help me celebrate.

After leaving the Hill we made our way back to Hatzichristou Street to continue the party at our favorite hangout the "To Kati Allo" Taverna. And the next day we all planned to meet there again for a group tour of all Athen's ancient spots.

FULL MOON OVER FILOPAPOS HILL

A VISIT TO THE SANCTUARY OF THE GODS: DELPHI

TEMPLE OF APOLLO

JUNE 5, 2009: A DAY TRIP TO DELPHI, SANCTUARY OF THE GODS

There's hardly a time when I'm in Greece that I don't make a pilgrimage to Delphi. To me, it's part of the ritual of being there, getting in touch with Greece's ancient history, and experiencing the energy that is associated with this place, known as "the Navel of the Earth".

Delphi is steeped in myth and truly, when you are there, you will feel close to the gods who dwell there. This is the most important 'holy' place in all of Greece. In the ancient times, no important decisions were made without first consulting the oracle here.

DORIC COLUMNS OF TEMPLE OF APOLLO

The Delphic oracle was a priestess who sat on a tripod inside the temple, over a chasm that emitted hallucinogenic vapors. (I have read in recent years that they believe it was vapors from an earth fissure caused by an earthquake). The priestess inhaled these fumes and went into a frenzy, uttering strange cryptic answers to the pilgrim's question that were translated into verse by a priest.

Apollo was worshiped in Delphi except in winter when Dionysos, the god of wine, was honored with feasting and merrymaking.

The Sanctuary is located far up on the slopes of beautiful Mt. Parnassos. It is mainly a tourist town, the attraction being the Museum and Sanctuary, but in winter this is also an imortant ski area. The nearby town of Arahova is a major ski resort and noted for tapestries and weavings.

I usually go to Delphi for a day trip from Athens, a very pleasant outing by bus that takes a few hours, driving through scenic countryside. The first time I went there back in the early 80's with a Greek friend and we slept on the edge of chasm under a full moon. Magic! Another time my girlfriend and I camped at the Apollo Camping just outside of the town. There's a swimming pool where you can cool off after wandering the slopes of the Sanctuary. I'd advise going to Delphi on a cool day. Once the temperatures rise into the 30's it's really too hot to enjoy your day exploring the ruins.

VIEW DOWN THE VALLEY TO THE GULF OF CORINTH

A LOVELY DAY ON HYDRA

HYDRA'S DONKEY TRANSPORT

JUNE 3, 2009. MY BIRTHDAY!
Today was my birthday, although the big party isn't until the weekend. So to celebrate it, we took a day trip on the Fast Cat (catamaran) to the lovely island of Hydra (pronounced EE-dra)
One of the nicest things about this island is the lack of motor vehicles. Donkeys are the main mode of transportation and they carry everything from riders and luggage to merchandise and lumber supplies. Hard working little creatures!

The gracious old houses of Hydra are stacked up the side of a bluff overlooking the harbour. It was a popular island for film makers back in the '50's and later the home of noted poet/musician Leonard Cohen. During the '70's this attracted all sorts of his followers to the island. I made my first visit there in 1979 on my first trip to Greece. Like Aegina, another small island off the Attic coast, it's a good place to go for day trips. Several boats a day go from the port of Pireaus. It's fastest to take the Flying Dolphin or Fast Cat which gets you there in just over an hour.

TYPICAL STREET SCENE

It's fun to explore the narrow little back-street of Hydra town. You can escape the crowds of tourists that congregate around the port itself where there's lots of shops and seaside tavernas where you can loll away the afternoon.

There is a paved path around the edge of the coastline that eventually reaches a small beach. And along the way there are tavernas overlooking the sea where you can swim from the shore or the floats. It's steep and rocky though, so not good for non-swimmers.

Little Hydra was one of those islands that weren't invaded by the Turks. Many people from the Peloponnese settled here and by the 19th century the island was an important maritime power.
The Hydriots made a fortune by running the British blockde of French ports during the Napoleonic Wars. Wealthy shipping merchants built most of the town's grand old mansions. Hydra contributed 130 ships to the Greeks during the War of Independence.

HYDRA TOWN

GREECE AT LAST: Arriving in Athens

JUNE 1, 2009 ATHENS, GREECE.
How lovely it was to be back! To celebrate we had an excellent room at the Philippos Hotel, and this was the view we had from the 5th floor balcony. I'm back in familiar turf again, close to my old haunts, and it felt so good.
And this time I'll be showing my sister and niece around the city that I love so much.



ACROPOLIS, from the hotel

We arrived late afternoon, went for a walk around Plaka to get orientated, then back to the hotel for a glass of wine and sat on the balcony enjoying the view of the Parthenon lit up at night. Tomorrow we'll go sightseeing around the Plaka and up to Syntagma Square.

(note: It's a bit hard writing these blogs so many weeks after I was actually there. But there was unfortunately little time for me to blog when I was away, not even time to jot many notes down in my journal. This was strange to me as I am usually blogging daily while I'm in Athens. So a great many details have been lost. )

JUNE 2.
We went out for a day of sightseeing. First over to view the Temple of Olympian Zeus. This is the largest temple in Greece, built in 700 BC but later abandoned and finally completed by Hadrian in AD 131. Only 15 of the original 104 Corinthian columns remain (the others were blown down in a gale in 1852) Hadrian placed a collosal statue of Zeus in the centre and an equally collosal one of himself next to it. Neither remain.

TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS

We walked up Amalias Blvd past the Zappeion where they hold exhibitions, and we were proceeding up this rather wide avenue toward the National Gardens and Parliament Bldgs when something unexpected happened. The street is always busy, but the sidewalk wasn't particularly crowded. Debra and Jean were walking just behind me. I felt something tap my back and just then four young women came up, two on each side of me. I immediately took off my backpack and noticed it was unzipped. I looked inside quickly and saw my gold cosmetics bag was gone. The girls were ahead of us but I didn't chase after them as, at that point, I wasn't sure if i'd left the bag at the hotel. (It turned out, I hadn't. They had taken it) Fortunately my wallet was tucked way down at the bottom because if they'd taken that, it would have meant a disaster for me. (I don't usually carry my valuables in the backpack but that day I'd been at the bank and had used my VISA to get some money. This was an example of how this very 'safe' city has become unsafe and travellers need to be aware of this. I'm pretty street smart and wary and this is the first time it's happened to me, especially in Greece. But these days pickpockets are around, especially in crowded metro stations, Omonia Square area and other places where there are crowds of people. These were not Greek girls. I suspect they were gypsy girls but can't say for sure. But just a few blocks and about 15 minutes later another incident happened to make me realize that these thieves travel in teams. So beware!

We headed along to the National Palace (Parliament Buildings) to watch the changing of the guards. This is an interesting routine to watch, with the evzones (guards) dressed in their traditional costumes, performing an intricate ritual of marching and dance-like steps. Just as the crowd gathered to the front to watch, I went to take my backpack off. I felt someone bump against me and next to me was a woman. I caught eye contact with her and she scooted away. Yes! My backpack was unzipped again.

EVZONES CHANGING GUARD

Unbelievable! Needless to say, after that day it was always pinned shut and I didn't dare carry my wallet or anything else I valued inside it.

I didn't fret too much over the lost cosmetics (other than that nice gold case) because most of them were used and ready to be replaced. However, the next day when I went to Hondos Centre to buy new cosmetics I realized that the loss was far more expensive than I'd calculated. Cosmetics in Greece are very expensive. I couldn't afford the eye makeup or blush. It cost me the equivalent of $26 Cdn for a tube of Revlon lipstick that I usually pay under $10 for at home! So I went without makeup for the rest of the trip.

Lesson learned! Athens used to be a very safe city but like all big cities where there is an influx of foreigners and a great many poor people, the crime rate has suddnely soared. Pickpockets are a major problem and there are other scams to watch out for at bars, and some taxi drivers who will overcharge. (Find out the expected rates). Interesting though, this time I didn't see the usual gypsy women beggars sitting along the streets with their comatose children in their laps. And one thing you won't find are the droves of spare-changers in every block like there is at home. Sure, there's parts of Athens that are scruffy where bums and druggies hang out, but they are not in your face like they are here in Vancouver. And they don't have gangs running around shooting each other either. I always have culture shock when I come back here and see exactly how bad it is in this country where we are supposed to be so well-off and privileged.