CRUISING

Vathi, Ithaka

It's nearly 9 p.m. on Thursday evening and we arrived here on Lefkada Island a couple of hours ago. I'm posting a few odds and ends about our last day/evening on Kefalonia and the cruise over here to Lefkada.

I started making some notes this morning while we were waiting for our ferry at Fiskardo and I was sitting at a taverna looking out over Homer's wine-dark sea toward the nearby green mountains of Ithaka. We were sorry we couldn't make it over to Odysseus' island but time wouldn't permit it. Then we discovered that our bus from Argostoli wasn't going to make the right connection with the ferry to Vassiliki, Lefkada so we had to wait around til 4.30 to get a different ferry going to another port. This means we won't be able to get to that lovely beach below Sappho's Leap around Cape Doukos as we are now in another village on the east side of Lefkada, opposite Onassis island, Skorpios. And it's too far away to get a boat around to Sappho's Leap. So we will stay put here and enjoy the tranquility.

We spent a lazy afternoon sipping rose wine and eating grilled octopus at Elis sea-side taverna before catching the ferry for Nydri, a small fishing village which is now a busy tourist resort and yacht harbour. I'll write more about it later. The trip over was a bit choppy. There's been a wind all day and it's been cooler. I'd hoped to spot dolphins, as the last time I was cruising around these waters there were many of them chasing the boat and performing for the passengers. Perhaps we'll see some yet!

There were some things I had forgotten to write about Kefalonia, mainly the connection with poets and artists. It was a favorite island of Lord Byron. I wanted to try and get to the village where he often stayed as I understand there is a plaque on the house he lived in. However, we couldn't do everything and unfortunately, the bus tour didn't take us there.

The island has also been a mecca for painters and the other day we saw some paintings by Edward Lear who often came there to paint the lovely old Venetian buildings and beautiful scenery. At the same gallery (which, by the way, was the Focas gallery -- which may be a connection with Iannis Focas: Juan de Fuca's family) we saw an outstanding display of photos of 'before' and 'after' Argostolis. The devastation of the '53 quake was incredible!

We got up early today for the hour bus ride along the winding coast road to Fiscardo. The road is high above the sea cliffs, with sheer cliffs dropping into the sea on one side and rising up in stone walls on the other, except for passages where you are cutting through green hillsides and villages. Quite incredible how the drivers maneuvre the buses around those hair-pin curves. A white-knuckle ride for those who are faint-hearted, for sure! Spectacular scenery though. And today the sea was patched with various colours of aqua and teal blue and turquoise.

As I said, we hung around Fiskardo (not an unpleasant way to spend the day) waiting for the little ferry "Captain Aristidis" to take us on the 2 hr. cruise to Nydri (6 euros)
We were impressed with the port immediately. It curves into a deep bay with green tree-covered mountains on each side. It took us about 10 minutes to find an excellent pension (studios) just down the road. We have a third floor suite with a balcony that overlooks the Bay.
There is a swimming pool too! (yay!) and the suite has all amenities. For only 35 Euro! It sure pays to look for pensions instead of hotels and in many cases they are much nicer as you have more of the comforts of home. It turns out the woman who runs this for her Greek/Can parents was born and raised in Winnipeg! So we feel right at home, that's for sure, and we'll stay here til Saturday when we catch a bus up to Lefkada town and back down the mainland to Athens.

Unfortunately we couldn't get to Ithaka and we can't make it to Sappho's Leap as we couldn't get that ferry to Vassilikis. That's disappointing. I'd so hoped to conjur the Muse again while here. But Homer's spirit is around. We passed close to Ithaka today and I took some good photos of it. Actually, one of the old German archaologists insisted that Lefkada was actually the site of Odysseus' Bronze Age kingdom. So we're close enough.

ISLANDS IN THE SUN #2: KEFALONIA: Capt. Corelli's Island

Plateia Gialos, Kefalonia

This is the island where the writer Louis de Berniere wrote his novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin.
This last time I was here, they were filming the movie over near the town of Sami and had rebuilt a whole village to resemble what Argostoli used to be like before the 1953 quake.

You might also know that it's Juan de Fuca's island. (read my published story about this on
http://www.magiccarpetjournals.com/ In fact, the first time I came here it was because I'd read about a regatta that was being held here in his honour. His Greek name was Iannis Focas, and he went to sea for the Spanish king, and was sent to find the Northwest Passage. So there is a real B.C. connection here and if you saw the island, the green forested mountains, you'd see some similarities.

Kefalonia is the largest of the 7 Ionian Islands off the west coast of Greece. It is an island of rugged mountains, uniqur fir forests, many wild flowers and scented herbs and beautiful beaches. All the island towns were reduced to rubble in 1953 after a major earthquake. Very few of the original buidings were left standing. The beautiful Venetian architectures was destroyed so the towns have mostly been rebuilt. Once Argostoli was a town of gracious Venetian buildings, an opera house and splendid mansions. Now it's a lively,modern port set on a peninsula with a cobbled walk along the sea and an impressive shopping area, with a marble-paved pedestrian mall.

We arrived here on Monday and found ourselves a nice hotel by the sea. The weather has been perfect for sightseeing, not too hot, some cloudy periods and some refreshing wind to keep things cooled down. On Tuesday we went to the beautiful Platis Gialos Beach for a swim and sun tanning. The surf was a bit too high for swimming but it is so lovely, all sandy with turquoise water. We laid on the sun cots for a few hours then caught the bus back to Argostoli. Later we took a taxi out to the Fenari Lighthouse. It is a Venetian style lighthouse built by the British in 1853, later destroyed in the quake and rebuilt exactly as before. We arrived there in time for sunset and got some good photos. Right up the hill behind the shore is the place where there is a memorial for the Acqui Division, the regiment of Italian soldiers who were gunned down execution style by the Nazis after they refused to join the Germans when Italy had ceded defeat to the Allies. This was part of the Captain Corelli story that was true. Over 10,000 soliders were killed. The first time I went up to see the monument, I came down later and sat by the Fenari at sunset listening to Andreas Bocelli sing "Time to say Goodbye". It was a moving moment and brought me to tears.

Ingrid and I walked along the sea road to this very nice taverna where once Anna Britt and I had gone for lunch. We had a delicious dinner there, then walked back to Argosoli in the dark, along the oleander-lined path into town.

This morning we were up early to meet the tour bus for a tour of the entire island. This island is so big you would never feel island-bound. There are hundreds of village tucked away inthe mountains and along the shore as well as the resort towns, and larger towns like Sami, Argostoli, Luxouri (across the Bay and accessibly by a frequent ferry service) and Fiskardo in the north.

The tour started at a famous underground stream called the Katovothres where there is a big mill wheel. Some years ago geologists explored the source of this stream and discovered it goes under the sea (the sea bed was disturbed by the quake and the water table was disturbed) and comes out across on the other side of the island where it pours into the sea. Quite a phenomenon!

The bus goes along the winding mountain roads overlooking the sparkling turquoise sea where the steep cliffs run down to the sea. There are groves of eucalyptus and many deciduous trees as well as the special firs that grow on Mt. Ainos, the highest peak at 1620 meters. There are many types of flora and fauna on the island including some almost extinct wild horses that roam on Mt Ainos.

The island has a long history dating back to prehistoric times, and during the Mycenean civilization it was heavily populated. (It was part of Odysseus' kingdom). In 200 BC it was a Roman naval base; later it belonged to Byzantine Empired and was once of the defences on the coast f the Mediterranean against pirates from North Africa. The Ottoman Turks ruled here breifly in the 1400's and in 1809 the British occupied Kefalonia and it became one of the protectorates.

The oldest village is Assos. A1593 Venetian castle was built on the promontory there to protect the village from pirates. Near Assos is one of the finest beaches in Europe, Myrto Beach, brilliant shades of blues and white sand, accessible by a long winding road down from the highway.

We stopped at the lovely fishing village of Fiskardo on the north end of the island. Fiskardo was the only village that was not destroyed in the earthquake and although it's dolled up for the tourists, there are some beautiful old buildings there and a yacht harbour inviting sailors from all around the Mediterranean to anchor there. The town was named for Roberto Fiscard, a Norman raider (pirate) who died on his ship off-shore.

From Fiscardo, with a lunch stop along the way, the bus tour continued down the length of the island, stopping at the spectacular Melissani Lake, which is a subterranean sea-water lake in a Cave (Mellisini is named after a nymph so this is The Nymph's Cave. We went into it on little boats. The sun shines through the opening in the cave's ceiling lighting the water's many shades of blue and reflecting up the walls that are hung with stalactites. I thought it was even more beautiful than the Blue Grotton on the Isle of Capri.

Then we went to the Drogoati Cave, which has 120 steps down into the caverns. It was first discovered in the 1800's and opened to the public in 1963. One of the chambers is used for the occasional concert. Mikis Theodorakis and Maria Callas have both performed there. We headed down the many steps and as we entered the cold, damp cavern it became very slippery. I took off my sandals but it was even like slick ice under my bare feet. So rather than risk a nasty fall, we only went as far as the first entrance then returned up the stairs. All this hiking and climbing is sure to make us fit (I hope) and is a real test of our endurance and cardio!

The rest of the trip was around by some of the lovely beach resorts, then back to Argostoli.
We've just been out shopping. I bought a CD of Kefalonian cantata music and lots of goodies for my apartment. Tomorrow we are heading up to Fiskardo to get the ferry over to Lefkada Island. Once we are settled there on Friday I'll post another island blog.

NOTES ALONG THE WAY

Argostoli, KEFALONIA

We just got here yesterday so these are just some notes from along the way going back to my last blog. Tomorrow, after we've toured around a bit, I'll write about this island which is one of my favourites (my third time here).

Saturday was an interesting day, just browsing around Athens and then in the evening we attended a special event at Daniella's school.

I used to babysit Daniella (Christina's daughter) when she was still in her baby-tender scooting around the courtyard, not walking or talking yet. When I started to sit with her, it was to help her along as she was very tiny and a bit slow to develop. She's Swedish/Greek by birth and Christina is a single mom. Daniella had a confusion of languages to deal with just at the time a child is first learning to talk: Swedish mother who speaks Swedish, English and Greek to her, German and Greek 'aunties' and another babysitter who spoke Arabic (Syrian). So
when I took over it was mainly to help her develop her English speech. We had many fun times in the courtyard, that wee one and me, and on long walks around Koukaki, Philoppapou and the National Gardens. Once she finally started taking her first steps, you couldn't keep up with her. She used to insist on pushing the stroller and then walking ahead, very independant little kidlet.
And I'll never forget the day she first spoke in English! It was such a surprise. It had taken her awhile to process it all and usually she was silent as a clam (a stubborn little mite too!) but once she started talking she was full of words.

Now Daniella is a gorgeous, tall young lady of nine years. She goes to a private school for which her single Mom has to pay a good price, but she's sure of getting a good education. And Christina also sends her to Swedish school. So Daniella is fluent in Greek, Swedish and English too. She and her mother are also ardent about sports. She can swim like a dolphin and also skis and on Sunday she and her mom ran in a marathon for Ecology Day. (They ran around 4 kms).
She was anxious for us to come to her school performance on Saturday so of course we wouldn't miss that for the world!

From ancient times, the Greeks have always been keen on sports and the training of children (boys and youths) from an early age was an important part of their lives. At lot of their life was centered around the gymnasium where they were trained from a very early age, first in the foot-race and later in wrestling, discus, and other sports. Atheletes were highly esteemed in ancient Greece. (It happens that a recent segment of my novel deals with the child atheletes so I found it interesting to see the kids perform at Dani's school)

The performance at Daniella's school was gymnastics, sports and folk dancing.
The children ranged from primary to junior high school. Daniella is in grade four. Her group was performing gymnastics, and her trainer is a beautiful young lady who won the gymnast's gold medal at the Olympics for Greece. What an honour to have such a proficient athlete as a coach! And it was quite thrilling to see what the children performed. The youngest children did a performance with balls and hoops and the older girls did more advanced gymnastics. It was interesting to see how attentive the children were, how focused and how they obviously adored their coaches and trainers.

There were performances of various basketball, soccer and volleyball skills by different age groups. All the children have proper school gym wear. The soccer, basketball and volley ball players were red and white shorts and shirt with their names and number on the back, like professional players. The gymnasts have black stretch pants and red t-shirts with the school logo in white. Very smart in appearance.

We were fascinated by the performances, all on the outdoor gym court on a warm evening. Many parents and family members in attendance shouting "Bravo!" and clapping. I felt so proud of Daniella. She's almost like a surrogate granddaughter to me. A real sweetie! And she looked so 'professional', a shining star, so tall and beautiful!

At the end of the sports and gymnastics we were treated to some Greek dancing by the older girls, dressed in white shirts and black trousers and carrying white hankies which are part of the sirtaki and hazpatiko dances. Everyone claps along with the music and it was great fun!

Afterwards we treated Daniella and Christina to dinner at the garden taverna. We had an early rising Monday to get the bus to Kefalonia. It's a trolley/bus trip from Koukaki where Christina lives to the bus terminal (You'll remember that, Susan!) but we got there in good time and boarded the bus at 8.45. The bus goes past the Corinthian canal, and along near Acrocorinth mountain and the site of ancient Corinth, to Patras (in the Peloponnese) where you board a ferry. The trip takes about 8 hours total to arrive at Argostoli, Kefalonia. We got here late afternoon yesterday and found ourselves a pretty good hotel with a view of the bay for just 40 Euros double (around $25 a piece). We'll stay here til Thursday then go on to Lefkada. Decided we'd have to miss Ithaka as there just won't be enough time to do it all as we stayed in Athens a day longer than originally planned in order to see the sports show.

We went out for a nice meal last night at a taverna near the bay. My favourite: salt cod and skourdalia (garlic potatoe sauce) then tucked in early. Imagine me going to bed at 10 pm!!
But we were mighty tired from all our travels and had an excellent sleep. So today we're just browsing around the town, going to the beach and taking it easy.

I'll be posting a detailed blog about Kefalonia before we leave here so stay tuned.....

ISLANDS IN THE SUN: #1 HYDRA

Hydra (prounounced ee-dra) is one of the Saronic Gulf Islands off the south-east coast of the Peloponnese. It was popular in the 50's with movie makers (Boy on a Dolphin) and in the 60's and 70's with many artists and writers. Leonard Cohen lived there during this time, so did Joannie Mitchell.

The name "Hydra" suggests "water" and perhaps once this rocky isle was covered with forests, but now it's virtually barren and has to import water from the Peloponnese.

The gracious white and pastel stone mansions of the town are stacked up on the rocky hillside that surround the fine natural harb our. One unique feature of this island is the lack of cars and motorbikes. Except for snitationa dn construction vehicles, the only means of trasport is by donkey and mule and there are hundreds of them, many standing patiently at the dock-side waiting to transport passengers up the hill to the hotels and pensiones. Ingrid and I opted to go by foot to explore around the back stgreets of town, away from the hordes of tourists on the quay. Most of the action on Hydra is centered around the waterfront cafes and shops, so the little cobbled back streets that wind in a maze, some only an arm's length wide, are virtually deserted making it a joy to explore. It's cheaper to eat at the tavernas away from the port and we enjoyed lunch atone with pretty lue chairs and amarine decor, before wandering around to snap photos. The town is picturesque and a delightful place to brose even though it's very touristic.

We walked along the cobbled path by the sea to the next village, Vlykos. I was looking for the sea-side taverna were sevenarl years ago my Aunt Edith, cousin Sean and Shoon a young friend from Singapore had lunch. It was closed, so we went to another taverna up above it overlooking the sparkling sea. The weather was perfect, just ot enough with a cooling breeze. We enjoyed a lazy day wandering at our leisure, checking out the tourist shops (all expensive) and people-watching. We kept wondering exactly where Leonard used to live. No doubt up on the hillside.

Some historical facts = During the Ottoman occupation of Greece, from the 1400's, Hydra was ignored by the Turks, so many Greeks from the Peloponnese settled here. Later the population was boosted with an influx of Albanians. (There's a lot of there here now too as apparantly they are very good stone masons and most of the houses on Hydra are made from stone, as are the stone-paved streets) Hydra had no agriculture, so it became a boat-building centre and by the 19th C, had a great ,maritime power. Wealthy shipping merchants built most of the grand old buildinggs and it became a fashionable resort for Greek socialites.

The Hydriotes made a fortune by running the British blockade of French ports during the Napoleonic Wars and made a major contribution to the Greek War of Independance.

We had a lovely day there before boarding the sleek (expensive) high-speed "Euro-fast) ferry back to Pireaus, a two-hour trip that was almost like being on board an airliner except far more comfortable!

More historical notes: We stopped briefly at the island of Poros on our way to Hydra. It's main port is pretty, with white and beige houses stacked up the hillside. This is the island where the orator Demosthenes hid out at the Temple of Poseidon when the Macedonians were pursuing him. (mentioned in my blog about Delphi). He committed suicide here in 322 BC. Other than that, I don't believe the island has any remarkable history.

Tomorrow we're off to the Ionian Islands: Kefalonia, Ithaka and Lefkada. So as soon as I find another web cafe I'll post another island adventure.

DELPHI: Consulting the Oracle

" And thence he (Apollo) came
unto this land of Parnassus
and at his side, with awe revering him
were the children of Hephaestus, preparing the way
and taming the land that once was wilderness
and he was received with honour
by all the people and Delphos, their chieftain-king." Eumenidis

We took a day trip to Delphi yesterday. I've been there many times before, and recall the very first time in 1982, when I went up with a Greek friend, Kos. We arrived at night and took our sleeping bags down on the mountainside. The sky was ablaze with stars, meteorites falling, and a big full moon. Delphi's magic was everywhere. In the morning, when we woke, we were sleeping right near the edge of the deep gorge with a spectacular view of the Corinithian Gulf and the far-away little port of Itea.

On another visit, in '93 I went there with my friend Sylvie. I was sitting on the edge of the path that leads up to the stadium, writing in my journal. When I looked up, I saw HIM coming down the path with his companions. Alexander. Clear as if he was really there. That bright lions mane of hair, wearing a robin's egg blue mantle, his head turned as he laughed and spoke to his friends. He would have been about 18, and just as he'd been after the Battle of Chaironea when he went to Delphi to consult the oracle.

There's been other memorable trips too and especially the ones where I take a friend who has never been there. I'm so sorry Suzaki missed out on it. Maybe another time.

It's the most Sacred site in Greece and was known in antiquity as the 'naval of the earth'.

The oracle at Delphi probably originated during early Mycenaean times when the earth goddes Gaia was worshipped. Later it became a sanctuary of Themis, later Demeter and then Poseidon, but by the end of the Mycenaean peior, Apollo had replaced the other dieties.

Delphi reached its height in the 4th C B.C. when multitudes of pilgrims bearing expensive votive gifts came to ask advice of its oracle. The Delphic oracle was the most powerful in Greece. She was a priestess over 50 yrs of age who sat on a tripod at the entrance to a chasm which emitted vaporous fumes. As she inhaled them, they induced hallucinations and her utterances were translated into verse by a priest, in answer to pilgrim's questions.

There were several Sacred Wars as various city states fought for control. The Third Sacred War, precipatated between Thebes and the district of Phocis in 356 BC was a chance of Philip II of Macedon to exert power by acting as arbitrator. He ended the conflict but by 339 war broke out again and Philip took the opportunity to bring his formidable army into Greece and defeated a combiined army of Athenians, Thebans and their allies at the Battle of Charionea, thus achieving his goal for control of Greece.

(I have visited the wide plain of Chaironea where this battle was fought. There's a huge stone lion monument there honouring the Theban dead: Alexander, (age 18) leading the right flank of Macedonian cavalry, anhiatlated the 700 man Theben Sacred Band who fought together in pairs to the death. The Athenian orator, Desmothenes was at this battle but beat a cowardly retreat to Athens where he continued his tirades and published pamphlets against the Macedonians until Alexander's time when he was tracked down on the island of Poros and killed.)

Ingrid and I arrived just in time to catch the last half-hour of the museum where I got to see my two favorite pieces of sculpture: the beautiful marble statue of Antinoos, beloved of Hadrian who drowned in the Nile and was deified. And the fabulous bronze charioteer commemorating a victory in the Pythian Games 4788 or 474 BC (the games were held every four years like the Olympics).

We walked up to the stadium and I swear the path was steeper and the way longer than before!
But we made it and it's worth the effort as it is the best preserved stadium in Greece.

Just as we came down out of the Sacred site, Zeus started rumbling by with his thunder chariot and lightening bolts. By the time we got back into the town it was raining buckets so we had to duck into a shop. In minutes the roadway was ankle deep in a raging torrent. We got soaked, and hid out in a cafe eating pizza while we waited for the bus. We following the storm all the way back to Athens and were two drowned rats by the time we reached home.

Today we went to the Friday street market in Koukaki and later to the Cycladic Museum. Tonight is the big Gemini birthday party at the garden taverna. And tomorrow, a sea cruise to Hydra to check out Leonard Cohen's old haunts.

RECOLLECTIONS OF MY FORMER LIFE

Roberto and me

"Know thyself." Socrates

It's hard for me to describe how I feel when I return to Athens. It has become so much part of my life, a special part of me, and the minute I arrive here I feel myself transformed.

On the plane, as we neared Greece, and as I anticipated the dinner we'd have that night at the To Kati Allo, I was suddenly overcome with a deep sense of grief, seeing in my mind's eye an image of my friend Graham, hearing his usual cheery "Hello, Ruthie!" And the realization struck that he wouldn't be there at the taverna to greet me as he has always been. That he, along with Roberto and Kaye and many others of the old ex-pat gang have left us forever. When I did go to the taverna later that evening, the vacancy was noticable and the sense of sadness prevailed. We drank a toast to the absent ones, and spoke about them, their presence always hovering near.

It's amazing how, as soon as I hear the language I remember it, and I managed to carry on some conversation with Anna, the owner of the TKA. She was so pleased to see me. Her son, Dino and husband Leonidis were there to greet us too. Anna is a gypsy woman from Hora, a small village near ancient Olympias in the Peloponnese. We have an odd connection with 'the man from the bus' (that's the #20 bus in Vancouver), Jimmy (Dimitris) who I see sometimes when I'm riding up the Drive or across Broadway. He calls her regularly from Vancouver and exchanges news, asks about me or tells her if he's seen me. I hadn't seen him in awhile and wondered if he was here, but she says he's in poor health with heart prolems. No doubt, though, she'll relay the news that I'm back here again and one of these days, on the #20 we'll meet up. He's my Athen's connection in Vancouver.

Anna has mellowed so much over the years. I recall our early meetings in the late '80's when the old gang hung out at her brother's sandwich shop up the street from the TKA. In particular I remember the fateful "Summer of the Vipers" in late '87, the night I had a near fatal quarrel with my boyfriend Terry and she intervened, grabbing me by the hair and flinging me onto the road in front of a taxi that just stopped in time! Traumatic to say the least, and it took me a long time to get over it, or to get the courage to go to her taverna. Of course she has long since appologized and now we are friends. She asked me where I was last year and when I said "Havana, Cuba" she got very excited and explained, with Dino's help, how she likes Cuban music and jazz and would I burn some CD's for her?

It's been fun showing Ingrid my old haunts, the house where I lived on Vironos St (Byron's St), and other places where my friends and I used to hang out. Today we ate lunch at the taverna next to the Poulakis (which is now closed) and the waiter, Aris, greeted me as he always does. I've known him for 27 years since I first started coming to Athens and he never forgets me.
It's like that here, for those people who are still around from the old days. They never forget and I am always warmly welcomed 'home'.

Friday is my birthday at the garden taverna. I spoke to Dinaz last night and already Ove had called about it, and she was calling Mike. Zoe's supposed to come and maybe Carola. I hope a few of the old friends will show up.

We are enjoying being at my friend Christina's too. She had kindly set everything out for us, even cooked us a dinner (which we didn't notice til we were almost out the door on Mond. night) but last night we all sat together in the courtyard, ate the dinner, drank lots of krasi and talked for hours. Daniella has grown into a lovely young lady (she's almost like a granddaughter to me as I used to baby sit her before she could even walk or talk!) She wants us to come to her school dance and sports performance on Sunday night so of course we'll go. After that we'll head for the Ionian islands. Meanwhile, tomorrow, more sightseeing. I do enjoy being the tour guide!

Yesterday we went up the Acropolis. Ingrid's main focus was the Karyatids, the lovely ladies which are now standing in all their glory without scaffolding. She took a lot of photos of them in various poses.
Today we went around the Roman agora and also the ancient agora. I'll go back to capture Phokion's spirit. I've already noticed a couple of errors I made in setting details in my recent novel chapters and being such a nit-picker as I am with that sort of thing, I'll have to correct them, or perhaps just take some poetic license. More about this later.

The weather is pleasantly hot but yesterday, just as we were dismounting from the Rock, Zeus started throwing around his thunderbolts and we had to take shelter under a tree til an enterprising young Bangladeshi guy came along selling umbrellas. He made two quick sales. I recalled my famous last words as I ditched my old umbrella in London "I won't be needing this in Athens!" HA! Well, at least the rain keeps the air fresh and fragrant and cools things down.

"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.

THE WELSH ADVENTURES

Caerphilly Castle

'Five years have past; five summers, with the length of ive long winters!
And again I hear these waters, rolling from their mountain springs
With a soft inland murmur -- once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
That on a wild secluded scene impress
Though of more deep seclusion; and connect
the Landscape with the quiet of the sky...
Nor will though then forget
Tat after many wanderings, may years of absence,
these steep winds and lofty cliffs
And the green pastoral landscape, were to me
more dear both by themselves and for thy sake...'
Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey: William Wordsworth

The magestic ruins of Tintern stand as a symbol of past ecclesiastical glory on the River Wye. Originally founded in 1131 on land donated to cictrcian monks by Waler de Clare, Lord ofChepstow, the abbey survived until the dissolution of the monasteries by Hewrny VIII in 1536.

We arrived at Chepstow around noon on Friday and checked into our B&B, then headed off immediately to do the Wye Valley walk to Tintern. 6 miles (or so they say...we began to believe as we slogged along, that English miles are twice as far as Canadian!) The trail is easy at first, through the woods, so it was cool in spite of a hot day. I've done the hike twice before, once in 1989 when I hiked both ways, returning on the Offa's Dyke trail. And again in 1996 with my friend Anne. I honestly don't remember so much uphill grind the first two times, but there were. So the trail got tricky in places and then, we finally reached the picnic area where I remember Anne and I stopping for a lunch break, and realized the next part of the trail was up 365 steps. If I'd checked the map I'd have found the lower trail, over the fields and stiles, but I didn't and we opted to take the highway (like Anne and I did). The road is narrow with a very narrow verge which we had to keep hopping up on as there was a fair amount of traffic. And it's a winding road, not straight on, so every turn we came to we expected to see the Abbey and I swear to god they had moved it! When we eventually reached there it was 5.30 and the Abbey was closed!! However as it is a big structucture, magnificent grey stone set in a green valley, we managed to get some good photos which made the trek worthwhile. Then we caught a bus back to Chepstow. (How on earth did I do both ways the first time?? Well...I was much younger and obviously fitter then!)
We had started out at 2.30 and hiked til 5.30. So it was a long, gruelling trek.

Once back in Chepstow, which is a lovely little Welsh town, we found an excellent put The Horse and Carriage, and had a delicious meal and a few pints of Guiness before turning in. Early the next morning we went to see the Chepstow Castle, a massive medieval fortress on the Wye River, sitting on a rock above the swirling waters. It stands guard over a strtegic crossing point into Wales. Started not long after the Battle Hastings (1066 AD) by William Fitz Osbern a companin of William the Conqueroror, it was a landmark in more ways than one and one of Britains' first stone-built strongholds.

With luck, we manage to get a bus right to Newport, and from there direct to Caerphilly, my father's home. As soon as I cross into Wales, I feel I am at home too. I see people who could be kinfolk, hear the lilting Welsh accent that reminds me of my Dad. I've visited Caerphilly many times and always feel that I have come back to my roots. I still have cousins there and that's who we have come to visit.

I took Ingrid on a tour of Caerphilly Castle soon after we arrived at Sheila's. This is the castle my Dad played in as a child, and I grew up hearing stories about it. So it's like 'my' castle.

The fortress sprawls over a huge area (30 acres in all) making it easily the biggest in Wales and along with Windsor and Dover, the largest in Brtaiain. It was built in the late 13the centruy by the Anglo-Norman lord Gilber de Clare, to consolidate his grip on the lands he had captured. The foretress impressed onlookers and an awestruck 14th century Welsh poet descirbed it as a g#;giant Caerfifili'. De Clare's castle, a high point in medieval military architecture is a surpreme example of the concentric 'walls iwithin walls' sysetem of defence and includes water defences -- a moat and two small lakes, cretibing a castle that seems to be on an island.

Of course a visit to Caerphilly has to include a walk up Windsor Street to see my dad's family home. And as we had driven into the town, through Bedwas, I showed Ingrid the slag heaps fromthe mine where Dad had worked from the time he was 14 to his mid twenties when he had lost his mining card due to his union activity in support of his fellow miners. Of course, thanks to Maggie Thatcher, there is only 1 working mine left in Wales at this time.

We had a lovely visit with my cousins. And a great treat today when Chris drove down from Worcester to spend a few hours with us. Then Ingrid was treated to a tour of cousin Andrea's house: which happens to be one of the mansions formerlly belonging to the mine bosses (a step up for our mining family!). Andrea and Paul are restoring the old house and it's a masterpiece!

She drove us into Cardiff at noon and we intended to sight-see for awhile. We did see the museum which was free. As soon as I walked into the art gallery, there was a painting by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) of the body of Phocion being carried out of Athens. This was an incredible moment for me as I'd just been writing about Phocion (Athen's military governor) in my novel. He was falsely accused of treason and executed s a traitor and this painting depicts them carrying his body out of the city as he wasn't allowed to be buried on Athenian soil. Was this some kind of good omen for me, I wondered?

Also in the gallery was a painting of DylanThomasby Augustus John (painted 1937-38 at the Fitzroy Tavern in London.
'I got him to sit for me twice,' said John ' The second portrait being the more successful provided with a bottle of beer, he sat very patiently.'

We intended to go to the Cardiff castle but the streets were chock full of revellers heading for the stadium for a football match. It was quite an overwhelming scene: thousands of yobs waving blue and white banners, swilling beer, chanting, singing, and carrying on and they weren't even at the stadium yet! We beat a hasty retreat to the side streets and found a quiet place to hide out til the streets were clear. And what a mess they'd left behind: beer cans and plastic cups and rubbish ankle deep. Disgusting! That's the footballers for you. We were not too impressed.

Got the bus back (passengers had to be walked from the Coach station by security to another stop to board because all the roads were blocked off. Cops everywhere!) Arrived back in London at 8 and met MJ briefly at a pub by the station. Then we made our way back to the Y and checked in for the night.

Just up the road from the Y is the famous Fitzroy Tavern where Dylan Thomas sat for the portrait. We went there for a pint and happened to sit right below a wall full of self-portraits and other memorabalia of the artist, Augustus John. The whole pub is full of pictures of the famous Bohemians who used to hang out there. Downstairs is a small pub area called 'The Writer's and Artists' Bar'. We really wished we'd found this place sooner as it was an interesting place, with quite a rich ambience as you can imagine!

So now we are safely back in the Indian Y and after our curried egg breakfast in the morning we'll be heading out to Heathrow for our noon flight to Athens.
It's been a wonderful adventure so far and we're looking forward to the next part, and especially lying on a beach by the blue Aegean and soaking up the warm Greek sun!

LONDON NOTES: Art and Theatre

'London, thou art the flower of Cities all'
William Dunbar 1465-1530 London Refrain.

There are just so many cultural activities and things to see around this city. We were on the go all day today looking at everything from art to attending the theatre. And we took in a couple of London's beautiful churches as well, including the magnificent Westminster Abbey.

The highlight of Ingrid's day was seeing the Turners and Constables in the British Art Museum. She's studied art and so this was quite a thrill for her. I've been there a lot of other times although I do enjoy having a look now and then. My favorites are still the French Impressionists. I'll never forget the very first time I walked into the Gallery and saw VanGough's 'Sunflowers.' I burst into tears.
Today I was looking at some of the Italian Renaissance painters although I find their work is detailed and heavy.

We walked down the Mall and had a little picnic in St. James Park watching the various waterfowl who come begging for scraps. Then around by the palace (which I've also seen a zillion times).This is all first-time for Ingrid so we let her choose the destinations.

After a quick trip to Covent Gardens we went to Westminster Abbey and Ingrid and I went in to look around. It's intersting to see who is buried there and of course all the ornateness of the place. Too bad we missed the choir practice which is what we'd really have liked to hear.

Then, down the Thames and across by foot on the Milenneum Bridge to the New Globe Theatre. We had a delicious meal at the Anchor Tavern (roast beef, Yorkshire pudding etc) as well as a couple of pints of Guiness. Then, off to the theatre.

The New Globe is a fascinating look at what the original Shakespearean theatres were like. It has a open ceiling and the cheap tickets are standing room on the floor in front of and around the stage. The stage and the tiers are covered so the shows go on rain or shine. We had a good seat up on the tiers but there were a couple of pillars blocking some of the view. The performance was 'The Tempest' and it was a very different version than I've seen before. There were only 3 actors (male) who played all the parts, 3 female dancer/sprites (MJ thought they were biker girls because of the way they were dressed in jeans and black jackets) and a 'choir' up in the 'god's box'. The acting was brilliant but it was confusing trying to keep track of the characters especially for MJ who didn't really know the story well. I kept dozing off because I was so tired from jet-lag and walking, but came to later on and managed to pick up the threads more or less. Mainly I just listened to the amazing monologues and the way they were delivered. It was an entertaining play, even if you didn't have a clue, and a really good insight into how the Shakespearan plays might have been presented. I got lots of good pictures of the interiors and the audience.

Tomorrow morning, early, we're off to Cheptsow and hopefully my feet will hold out for the 5 mile walk to Tintern. I managed to hurt my back and put undue pressure on my feet by foolishing packing too heavy a back-pack. But I think by tonight they are much better. So, it's off to bed now and perchance to dream...

'We are such stuff as dreams are made on, andour little life
Is rounded with a sleep.' William Shakespeare The Tempest

LONDON NOTES: The Bloomsbury Gals in Fitzrovia

We're staying at the Indian Y by Fitzroy Square in an area that happens to be steeped in literary history. What a thrill to find that right across the park is the home where George Bernard Shaw lived in 1887-98. 'From the coffers of his genius he enriched the world.'
And after him, a young woman named Virginia Stephen move in. She started writers meetings, met a man named Leonard Woolf and became famous as the writer/critic Virginia Woolf. She lived at this house from 1907-11. Here she wrote 'The Voyage Out' and with her husband formed Hogarth Press and the Bloomsbury group.

Other famous writers and people of historical note also lived in this area. Right across the street in a corner house (now part of the London Foot Hospital) lived General Francisco de Miranda, (1750-1826) precursor of Latin American independence. Here he was visited by Simon Bolivar and Bernardo O'Higgins (liberator ofChile) to plan the campaign to liberate South America. Miramar, a Venezuelan, died later in a Spanish prison. There's a statue of him on the corner by his former home. Bolivar 'The Washington of S.A.' drove the Spanish out of Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Pru and N.Peru (renamed Bolivia in 1825). He ws the first president of Venezuela.

Other notables who resided and created renown works in the Fitzrovia area were C harles Dickens, Karl Marx, Charles Darwin,. Paul Verlain and Arthur Rimbaud, pets, who had a tempestuous relationshi p which included drinking, shooting and stabbings, ins pired future poets such as Boby Dylan. Elas Lancaster ran two nigth clubs here in the 1920's whose memers included HG Wells, Aldous Huxly, George B. Shaw. A poor, unmknown Welsham, Dylan Thomas, arrived in 1934 and would recite passages of 'Under Milkwood' at the Wheatsheaf Pub
The Omega Workshop started up in Fitzroy Square, a hothouse for new ideas, and attracted such notables as Picasso, Shaw, Yeats, Gertrude Stein. Brendan Behand came as an IRA courier in 1939 and stayed on to write his plays. Aneurin Bevan, pioneer of post war reform also lived here.

So we are surrounded by all this political and literary history.

Today we went for an extensive tour with MJ as our tour guide to Old London and then over to Belgravia where she lives. We visited the infamous pub once a favorite of rich and famous such as Diana Dors, Peter O'Toole and Alexander Korda the film producer. It was here that the Great Train Robbery of the 1960's was conceived and planned which netted the robbers a record 40 million Pounds.

More about London after tomorrow's visit to the New Globe....

READY, SET, GO!

"Where are you going, my pretty maid?"
"I'm going to London, Sir," she said.
Nursery Rhyme

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson 1850-1894

The bags are packed (believe it or not we are travelling light -- more or less!) I've got the afternoon to relax now, before we head for the airport and our 9.30 pm flight to London.

I've been to London countless times before and it's still one of my favorite cities. Just to wander about there is full of wonderful, amazing sights. We're going to spend 3 days there with our friend M.J. and that will include a first for me: a night at the New Globe Theatre to see "The Tempest". Ingrid has never been to Europe, though she lived in Brazil for some time, so this will be a thrill for her and a lot of fun for me showing her the sights.

I was thinking today of how, as much as I love the serenity and solitude of the countryside and islands, I do love cities. And I started to list a few that I am especially fond of, and others which I also enjoyed but would like to see more of. London, Cardiff, Edinburgh
Paris and Barcelona, Mexico City where I've only had quick trips through. I felt at home in Havana when I was there last December. Once upon a time before I went to Europe, I left my heart in San Francisco and then there was that amazing trip to New York which totally changed my life.
And then, one day, I went to Greece and fell in love with Athens. And one week from today, I'll return there. My city!

So our journey begins.
"The longest part of the journey is said to be the passing of the gate."
Marcus Terentius Varro 116-27 B.C. "On Agriculture (De Re Rustica)


"Pussy cat, Pussy cat, where have you been?"
"I've been to London to visit the Queen."
"Pussy cat, Pussy cat, what did you do there?"
"I frightened a little mouse under her chair!" Nursery Rhyme

What a grand way to celebrate the Victoria Day weekend!

Stay tuned! Next stop LONDON TOWN!

TRAVELING THROUGH HISTORY: PART 1: A Poet's Journey

Caerphilly Castle, Wales

" As the Spanish proverb says: ' He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.' So it is in travelling, a man must carry knowledge with him if he would bring home knowledge." Samuel Johnson 1709- 1784 (written April 17, 1778)

Today begins the countdown. Eight more days, and my friend Ingrid and I will embark on our journey to England and Greece. Saturday, over breakfast, we discussed our plans to hike the Wye Valley Walk from Chepstow, Wales to the magnificent ruins of Tintern Abbey, and back via the Offa's Dyke Path. This was one of the favourite destinations of the Romantic poet William Wordsworth. While in London, we also plan to attend the New Globe Theatre to see Shakespeare's "The Tempest." In Wales, we will be walking in the footsteps of Dylan Thomas, although I'm not sure we'll have time to go to his haunts near Swansea.

From London we will fly to Greece, May 30. We have several destinations in Greece planned (I will be Ingrid's tour guide as she's never been to either England or Greece before.) One day trip we will go on is to the island of Hydra, where the Canadian poet Leonard Cohen lived during the '70's. We will also travel to Kefalonia (one of Lord Byron's haunts) and cross over to Ithaka (made famous by the blind poet Homer). Perhaps, if there's time, we'll make a short trip to Messalonghi where Byron died to see the small museum in his honour there. In Greece, Byron is a heroic icon.It occured to me that this journey is taking on a poetic theme -- journeying in the footsteps of famous poets.

For me, a travel writer, it gives me a new focus for some articles. Usually I'm researching ancient history when I'm in Greece. The last trip there, two years ago, I concentrated on Venetian sites mainly in the South Peloponnese. I won't be making a trip up north to visit the Alexander sties this year as I usually do. The one 'new' place I hope to visit is the island of Amorgos where there are some Byzantine monasteries.

"Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience. He that traveleth into a country before he hath some entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travel." Francis Bacon 1561-1626 "Of Travel"

I started travelling in Greece in 1978. Before that I visited England and Wales, which is the homeland of my parents, and where I have several cousins living. My on-the-shelf work-in- progess "Dragons in the Sky: A Celtic Tale" was researched in the area of Salisbury and Stonehenge. It also has an Alexandrian connection. My current work-in-progess "The Shadow of the Lion" has been researched in Greece, at various sites, and also in Asia Minor.

I became a travel journalist in 1982 when my first article "Listen to the Earth Music", about Leros Island, Greece was published. I started writing travel stories because I wanted some publishing experience before attempting to market a longer piece of work like a novel. Because I'd had an early training in journalism (I worked in the editorial dept. of a major newspaper right after I left high school), and I was starting to travel on my own I decided to try my hand at travel journalism. When the first article I sent out got published it convinced me that this was a genre I could easily write and make some money at. (note: Don't quit your day job! You don't make enough to live freelancing on unless you're employed by a publication)From 1993, when I was offered help by the Greeks to continue research for my novel, I began to combine my historical research trips with travel journalism.

My website www.dreamwater.org/ruthaki "Travel Through History", is mainly dedicated to my historical writing but also has links to published travel articles. All of my travel articles contain a historical slant. This summer's will follow the paths of the poets. While I'm away I'll post some travel e-journals and share my adventures with friends at home.

Writing travel news-letters (and, of course, keeping a written travel journal) are important sources later on of writing up the travel stories for publication. So, the countdown begins.

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." Robert Louis Stevenson 1850-1894 "Travels With a Donkey" 1978