ADVENTURES IN LONDON

Usually I like to spend two or three days in London. I love going on the London Walks which are so interesting. I've been on quite a few as well as exploring many parts of London.  But this year I will only have one day there and by the time my flight comes in from Athens it will be too late to join a London Walk. So, I have decided to explore another place that sounds very intriguing to me and probably worth a good travel story.

CROSSBONES GRAVEYARD located a short walk from Shakespeare's Globe is the site of an old burial ground with an extraordinary history. For centuries it was the burial place of outcasts, sex workers and paupers.  The idea of a "prostitute's graveyard" intrigued me. I wonder if some of Jack the Ripper's victims could be buried there?  (I've previously made the Jack the Ripper Walk in London and it was one of the most memorable walks.)

According to local lore, Crossbones was once the final resting place for Winchester Geese, medieval sex workers licensed by the Bishop of Winchester to work in the brothels of The Liberty of the Clink, which lay outside the law of the City of London. By the time it was closed in 1853 Crossbones held the mortal remains of an estimated 15,000 paupers.

Part of it was dug up in the 1990's during work on the tube extension line. In 1996 the writer John Constable had a vision which revealed the secret history of Crossbones, the inspiration for The Southwark Mysteries  a collection of poems, plays and esoteric lore performed in The Globe and the Cathedral. A shrine was created at the red iron gates in Redcross Way dedicated to 'the outcast deat'. It is now a garden of remembrance.

VISITING OLD FRIENDS AND NEW PLACES

One thing I like to do whenever I go to Europe is to stop in Germany to visit my friend Patrick.  He lives in the lovely city of Mainz and it's always a pleasant stop-over in my travels.

Patrick and me

Mainz Street

Visiting a castle near Mainz

There's always a lot of adventures waiting and Patrick likes showing me around the city as well as other places nearby. Sometimes we travel by train to see the sights.

Train passing archaeological site (probably Roman)

  
This trip we'll take the train to the little village of Zetting, just across the border in France.  It was once part of Germany.  There is an 1000 yr old Romanesque Church there that Patrick wants to show me. (Patrick is a talented organist and plays the pipe organ in various churches in and around Mainz).

ZETTING

Old Romanesque Church

We're going to visit his mother, Hanna (Anna) who lives there.  I have met her before and she even came to Canada to visit when Patrick lived here. So it's going to be a very nice reunion.  Patrick says we are invited to go with Hanna and her husband to sample a delicious French meal! 

Hanna and me

Hanna and Patrick

I'll only be in Germany a few days, but as always it will be a great adventure and lots of fun seeing my friends again!

PLANNING NEW ADVENTURES

Every time I go to Greece I try to visit some sites that I have never been to before.  There are so  many choices, so many islands, archaeological sites, interesting towns and beautiful beaches!  The choices are so many it makes it tricky trying to make plans that will not be complicated and too expensive -- and also fit in with the length of time I'll be in the country.

This year I have made a 'tentative' plan -- one that should work fine, making sure ferry and bus connections are suitable. 

NAXOS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From NAXOS island I plan to take the ferry to HERAKLION, CRETE.  I visited there last trip and spent several days sight-seeing and exploring the archaeological site of Minoan KNOSSOS.

HERAKLION

 

 

This time, I'll stay a day or two in Heraklion  and visit the Minoan site of KNOSSOS again and then take the bus to ELOUNDA.

KNOSSOS

ELOUDIA

From Eloudi I can get a boat for a day trip to the former leper's island, SPINALONGA. This was once a Venetian stronghold during the Turkish invasion and eventually became a leper colony, occupied until 1957.

SPINALONGA

From Elounda  I also want to visit another Minoan site at GOURNIA. It's one of the most completely preserved Minoan towns,  perhaps not quite as impressive as the palace site of KNOSSOS, but still an important archaeological site showing the lives of ordinary people  3500 years ago.

GOURNIA

Hopefully there will be a bus from Elounda but if not I can get there from Agios Nikolaos which isn't too far away. I've always been fascinated by the MINOANS and my friend and mentor, Dr Jack Dempsey, (from US but now living near Heraklion) will hopefully give me some good info and tips about this site.

After this little jaunt I'll go back to Heraklion and from there get the ferry over to the island of MILOS.
this is a fascinating little volcanic island with chalk-white rock formations, hot springs and good beaches.  I'm hoping to spend a few days there exploring before heading back to Athens.

MILOS

 

 

 

 

VOLCANIC CLIFFS OF MILOS,

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!

A RETURN TO THE CYCLADES AND CRETE

I usually try to go to the island of NAXOS when I'm visiting Greece, because it's my favorite island.  This year is no exception, however I've decided to also stop at PAROS.  Aside from a weekend a long time ago when I went to babysit a friend's little boy while she performed at a taverna, I've never spent time on that popular island. I've heard so much about this island from other people, I figured it was time to explore it myself.

 PAROS

 I've only got a couple of days booked on Paros but it should be enough to see a few of the sights although I have quite a list of options.  An interesting thing is that the town of Parikia where I will be staying used to be a Minoan city back in the 1400 BCs.  Later, in 338 BC it was taken over by King Philip II of Macedonia (Alexander's father), followed by the Romans.

There's a wide choice of things to see and beautiful beaches to visit so my little stop-over should prove to be really interesting. I'll probably wish I'd booked more than two days there!

From Paros, I will go to Naxos which is very nearby.  As always, I'm heading for Maragas Camping, and like last year I'm going to stay in one of the bed tents.  These are quonset-hut type 'tents' with a bed and electricity inside and lots of room to walk around.  I found it very comfy and it's cheap!

 NAXOS, Maragas Beach

 Spectacular Naxos Sunset

The beach there is just spectacular and there are some wonderful little tavernas along the beach where you can sit and watch the sunset. Besides that you can take the bus into town and there's lots to see including  the Venetian Castle, the Portala (doorway of the Temple of Apollo) and many other things. Naxos has a very interesting history and I've been on the round-the-island tour a number of times. It's a big island, with mountains and lots of greenery as well as those gorgeous beaches. It's the island where, in the myths, Theseus landed with Ariadne, the princess of Knossos after they had left Crete when the volcanic explosion on Santorini drove them all away.  Unfortunately Ariadne ran off with the celebrants of Dionysos and that's the last Theseus saw of her. This time when I'm there I must remember to visit that particular sanctuary and see if I can conjur Ariadne's spirit.

 MARAGAS BEACH CAMPING

Last year when I was on Naxos I wrote a lot of poems while on the beach and one of them was about Ariadne.I am hoping the Muse is with me this time too.  I find if a very inspiring island!

 IRAKLION, CRETE

 IRAKLEON, MOROSINI FOUNTAIN

From Naxos I take the ferry to Crete. I'll stop a couple of days in Iraklion in order to see the sights there which will include the Palace of Knossos famous from  Minoan times.  There is so much to see in Iraklion and other parts of Crete that I may decide to extend my time there because it's worth spending time. I've visited Crete on a couple of other occasions but not for a few years, so it's going to be fun to return. 

 THE PALACE OF KNOSSOS

 MINOAN ARTIFACTS AND PAINTINGS

Eventually I'll head back to Athens and then a lot of new adventures will take place.  Among those I am hoping that I can do some book readings as the second volume of SHADOW OF THE LION is supposed to be published in October. 

NOTE:  photos of Paros and Irakleon  from Wikipedia