2019 TRAVEL PLANS: GERMANY, GREECE, ENGLAND/WALES

I'm starting to make my travel plans for my trip to Europe, leaving here August 27.  

My first stop will be Frankfurt and Mainz where I will visit my friend Patrick. Later we will cross over into France to visit his mom. 

After visiting Germany for a few days, I'll fly to Athens and spend some time with friends before heading up north to Thessaloniki for a short visit.

While there I always enjoy the walk along the sea front to the statue of Alexander the Great where I must pay homage.

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I am planning a trip to Pella for the day for research purposes.  Pella was once the Royal City of Macedonia in the time of Philip II and Alexander.  I have used it in a setting for my current work-in-progress and would like to do some fact-checking for accurate setting details.

I haven't quite decided whether to go to Halikidiki and instead I might go on an all-day boat trip that takes you around Mount Athos, the holy peninsula where no women are allowed to set food. At least Id get to see it from the boat and it should be a lovely day trip to make.

I'll add more of my travel plans as I get them made.  One place I'd really like to visit on a day trip is the site of the famous \Battle of Chaeronea, where Alexander, age 18 on his first major battle campaign, leading the cavalry, defeated the Theban Sacred Band.  I've been there before some years ago and would like to see it again for the sake of research for my novel.

HERE WE GO AGAIN! OFF TO GREECE FOR THREE WEEKS

This year's vacation is much shorter than usual. That is because of a very stressful last year and an eventual move to a new quieter, cleaner and friendlier home. A lot of expense involved which ate up some of my travel funds, so three weeks will have to make do.

As it turns out, it will be mainly a writing trip with three readings of my novels lined up in Athens at the Canadian Institute, Athens Centre and readings to two classes at the American Community School.  I have read for these venues before and really look forward to returning.

 My two-volume novel SHADOW OF THE LION 

Reading at the ACC in 2015

My first stop after arriving in Athens on September 22 will be NAXOS where I plan to spend three days lounging on my favorite beach at my favorite campsite, Maragas Camping.

 The bed-tents at Maragas Camping 

 Maragas Beach

 Lounging on a beach chair.

 Beach Tarverna, Plaka Beach

the walkway across to the Portada at Naxos port.

Next I'm going to Crete. I intended to go last year and had to cancel my plans. This time I'm going for three days to visit Knossos archaeological site and a few historic locations around Iraklion. I will also be visiting with my American professor writer/mentor friend Jack Dempsey who writes about the Minoans.

 Iraklion harbor

A visit to the grave of writer Nikos Kazanzakis.

KNOSSOS

MINOAN WALL FRESCOES.

After my visit to Crete I will return to Athens and later go to Salamina to visit my friend. Whenever I'm there we have many adventures seeking out archaeological sites that many people don't know about.  We've been to the site where they were looking for a monument to Ajax, hero of the Troy Wars; Ajax's acropolis, the Cave of Euripides and several other sites.  I wonder what exciting finds we'll see this year!

The final week in Greece will be exciting because I've been offered a free two-day stay GLAMPING in a Yurt, near Kalamata in exchange for writing a story about it.  So look at this blog space in a few weeks and you'll see what it's like to go glamor-camping in a yurt!

MAKING TRIP PLANS, 2016

ENGLAND AND THE IONIAN ISLANDS

I've started to verify and plan my trip to Europe this year which will begin September 4 when I fly to London.  From there I will go right away to Caerphilly, Wales to spend a couple of days visiting with my cousins and touring my castle.  It's a quick trip due to me having to take advantage of cheap air fares.

 Caerphilly Castle

 Windsor St. Where my Dad used to live.

On Sept. 7 I'll head into London again, early, in time to take in a special exhibit at the British Museum.  I'm really excited about seeing EGYPT'S LOST WORLDS, which are artifacts found under the see, some off of Alexandria which was the city founded by Alexander the Great and occupied but the first Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.

 The British Museum

Early the next morning I fly to Corfu, my first stop in the Ionian Islands off the west coast of Greece. I was only there briefly back in the early '80's so I wanted to spend a few days there as Corfu has an interesting history with lots to see. I've check out the tours and will try and take one of them so I can see as many of the special sites as possible.  This will include the palace where Prince Philip was born and the home of the Durrell brothers of literary fame.

 Corfu, Kerkyra

 Mouse Island

 Kerkyra

I'm staying on Corfu for 3 days then taking the quick ferry over to the tiny island of Paxis where I'll spend two days exploring. There are a couple of interesting museums and a Venetian Kastro on an islet off shore that was reputedly designed by Leonardo da Vinci. 

 Paxi, Gaia

 Paxi harbour

From Paxi I must take a ferry to the mainland and then a bus to Lefkada where I'll head south to the town of Vassiliki (the surf-boarders paradise). Not sure yet if I'll spend a night there. It depends on the ferry service onward to Kefalonia where I will visit the seaside town of Fiscardo, established and named for a famous pirate. 

From there I will head by bus to Athens, and will stop there to visit friends for a few days before heading on another island adventure,  this time to the islands of Paros and Naxos.  I decided to stay two days on Paros as it is another island that I've only visited briefly back in the '90's.

My favorite island is Naxos, so I'll stay there five days in a bed-tent at the Maragas Camping, a campsite and beach that I just love going to. I never get tired of visiting Naxos as it's a big island and lots to see besides having the most fabulous beaches!  I can hardly wait to have my dinner at one of my favorite sea-side tavernas there to watch the sunset!

From Naxos I will head south to Crete.  I haven't been to Crete since the '80's and wanted to see the Minoan site of Knossos again as well as exploring around Iraklion.  I'll be there a couple of days and hope to get up to a mountainside resort owned by a FB friend.

When all my Cretan adventures are over, I head back to Athens and that's where I'll be for the month of October, until the 20th when I head back home.  There's lots to see and do in my favorite city besides visiting with my friends.  I'll go over to Salamina island for a few days to explore with Christina and probably make a few day trips around  If finances enable it, I might even go up to Pelion for a few days as I've been wanting to explore that area for quite some time now. 

Some of my Athens friends

 Zoe and me

 Carola, Christina and Kim

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MEMORIES OF ALL THE FUN I HAD IN GREECE (Sept/Oct 2015)

I didn't do much blogging after I got back from last year's trip to Greece and here it is, time to embark on another. So while looking through my photos I came across many of the adventures I enjoyed, from the islands to visiting archaeological site and hanging out with my friends.

 Maragas Camping, Naxos

The most beautiful beaches!

 A margarita for lunch at the Picasso Beach Taverna

 

 Spectacular Naxos sunset

I started my holiday adventures on my favorite island NAXOS, at my favorite spot, Maragas Camping, Agia Ana. The most fabulous beach, and fun staying in a bed-tent for three days.
Then I moved into a lovely pension in the town with a room right by pool-side.

 The "Something Else" Pension

 There's lots to see on the island of Naxos and I like to go back there every time I visit Greece. 

 The walk out to the "Portada" 

 The Portada "Apollo's Temple"

 I love the Venetian influence on Naxos with these vaulted streets. 

 Then, back to Athens, an on to many more adventures.  These included a couple of day trips with friends, a visit to the island of Salamina, an afternoon at the Temple of Poseidon, Sounion, and many others.  Here's a sample of a few of them.

 The Corinth Canal

 A day trip to the Peloponnese:  Fish farms

The small ancient theatre of Epidaurus.

The Big Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus

Then some trips around Athens and the mainland.  There is so much to do there and many choices of where to spend your time. You really need to allow for this when you visit Greece.

 Athens, the Acropolis

 The Temple of Poseidon, Cape Sounion

The Temple of Poseidon (try to get there for sunset!)

One day I made a trip to Marathon, where the famous battle took place between the Greeks and the Persians. This is where today's marathons begin, just as the runner who bore the news of the Greek victory ran from there to Athens (and then died of exhaustion!) 

 Grave mound of the fallen warriors

Marathon, monument for the runners

Then I made a trip to Salamina island, also the scene of a famous naval battle between the Greeks and Persians. My friend Christina lives there so we always go exploring and this year was a very special archaeological adventure!

 Monument to the fallen warriors

Monument for the Battle of Salamis

I had heard from my friend about a cave up on the mountain where the dramatist Euripides had once lived. I was determined to make the climb up there, and I did!  (It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be!)  

 The Cave of Euripides

It wasn't all Archaeology on this trip. I even did a reading of my historical novel SHADOW OF THE LION: BLOOD ON THE MOON at the Canadian Institute. 

Then there was more exploring and having fun. 

 somewhere around the Agora

 along one of the old walled areas of ancient Athens.

 my travel buddies

My Athens pals!

And most of all I love hanging out with my Athens pals.  This year there will be lots more adventures too and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone and being there, in Athens, my second home, and exploring Greece, my favorite place to be!