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

New Monument Discovered in the Ancient City of Petra

Archaeologists and researchers using satellite imagery and drones have reportedly uncovered a new monument in the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. This structure is said to be massive in size, and unlike anything else found at the site before. It also hints at possible other discoveries yet to be made.

The new find was identified by archaeologists Sarah Parcak and Christopher Tuttle, who used a variety of high tech tools to locate and unearth it. The new structure is said to be roughly 184-by-161-feet (about 56-by-49-meters) in dimension, which makes it about the same length as an Olympic size swimming pool, and twice as wide. It is a large platform that surrounds a smaller platform which was once paved with flagstones. A series of pillars lined the outside, with a massive staircase on the interior.

What exactly this platform was used for remains unclear, and it doesn't match anything else that has been seen inside Petra so far. But, the ancient city is massive in size and scope, covering 102 square miles (264 sq. km), with the main city center covering about 2.3 square miles (6 sq. km). Many people who have not visited the site often believe that Petra is only made up of the Treasury, the iconic building that is seen in so many photos and movies. But the site is sprawling, with hundreds of buildings and structures spread out across the area.

Speculation on the newly found platform leads researchers to believe that it was a public building of some kind, but its exact use remains a mystery. It is thought that when it was intact, it was the second highest structure in the city, which was abandoned in the 7th century, and revealed to the outside world when it was located by explorer Johann Burckhardt in 1812.

This is another great example of an amazing discovery found in a place that we thought we already knew very well and had explored top to bottom. Petra is visited by millions of travelers every year, and it continues to amaze even in the 21st century. But it is even more fascinating to think that we are still finding new things there, and it makes you wonder what else is at the site, waiting to be uncovered.

THOSE OLD FAMILIAR PLACES: ATHENS, Greece

My favorite perch above the rooftops of Plaka

I always look forward to returning to Athens,Greece to see my friends and all those old familiar places that I have grown to love as my own 'adopted' city/country.  I made my first trip to Greece in 1979, arriving by bus to Thessaloniki (from London) and then by train to Athens. I fell in love with Greece immediately. It was almost as if I had lived there before and on that first trip, plus other trips since,

 Plaka at Night

 Lysicrates Monument by the "Dirty Corner" where we used to all hang out

 Stoa of Attalus in the Agora

I have had so many deja vu experiences it really does make me think I lived there in another lifetime. In fact, my Celtic novel DRAGONS IN THE SKY is a first person narrative of a Celtic girl who gets kidnapped and ends up in Greek Macedonia. In researching it I have discovered so many connections between the Celts and the Greeks.  The whole idea of the novel (which I started writing in the '70's before I had actually visited Greece) was because my first historical novel, written when I was 17 in high school, had an Alexander the Great theme. I became fascinated with him when I was 16 and often people asked if I had lived in Greece before because I was able to write such vivid descriptions of the country and the characters.

The Parthenon

On my first trip to Greece I went to the museum in Thessaloniki and saw all the grave finds from Vergina, allegedly Philip II, Alexander's father. (This may now be contested with the discovery of a second tomb). When I took the train down to Athens I sat with a middle-aged doctor who was very kind and welcoming and when I arrived in Athens he was very helpful and encouraging.  I checked into a small hotel, The Tempi, in Plaka and thus began my exciting exploration of this amazing, historic city that I have grown to love.

View of Lykebettos over the Plaka rooftops

I visited again the next couple of years and by 1983 I decided to fulfil a life-long dream and go to live in Europe. I had always thought it might be London I'd move to, but no, I KNEW it was Greece. So I found myself a home in Plaka and there I stayed tutoring ESL and enjoying a most fascinating life for the next five years.  I regretted returning to Canada when I did in 1987 but later I went back to Greece, spending six months at a time while I was writing SHADOW OF THE LION. And since then I go nearly every year spending as much time as I can afford.  I had always thought I'd return there to live, and almost did on a couple of occasions.  And I still have that dream of living the rest of my retirement life there. But meanwhile I will be happy with my visits, each time exploring a new place in this wonderful country.

A place where I love to sit and enjoy the view

New Acropolis Museum

I have good friends in Greece and love to visit with them. I feel as at home in Athens as I do in Vancouver  and in fact, when I return to Greece I feel my life 'changes', and I am more alive and happier than I am anywhere else.

 Monastiraki market district 

Dining at a favorite souvlaki shop in Monastiraki 

So, this September I once again return to my beloved country. It has been so sad what has happened to Greece due to the econimic strife all brought about by former politicians and dishonesty and now by the determination of Germany to control all of Europe, especially greece, through the banks.  My friends there have been suffering terribly and I understand the terrible situation they have been put in. If my meagre tourist dollars can help I will do what I can and I encourage others to visit this most fabulous country too.

 Some of my Friends

 Anna owner of the To Kati Allo Taverna

Anna's family, Dino (her son), grandson and husband Leonnatis

NEXT: Exploring some new places in Greece.