Mykonos and Athens, Greece - Aug 31-Sept 1, 2015 - Days 13 and 14

Day 13, August 31, 2015 … We slept in a bit, attended the lecture on things to do in Mykonos today, plus a short 101 on the Ancient Greek Gods, then had a little lunch at The Grill on deck 15 as we watched the ship approach the Greek Island of Mykonos.

Through the night the ship passed back through the Dardanelles and sailed southerly through the

The windy sea and white dotted landscape
of Mykonos Island

Aegean Sea, to the Cyclades, a group of Greek Islands, dropping anchor outside of Mykonos about noon.  From the decks we can see the white-washed buildings dotting the hillside and clustering around the old town area. There are few trees, the wind is blowing hard and the white caps race toward the ship and the shore.  It took some time to tender everyone ashore because there were four cruise ships anchored, and all were tendering in and out of the town using just one loading dock.  Plus it was very windy, so getting on and off the tenders was a bit challenging. So it was almost 4:30 by the time we actually set foot on the island. Greece, a new country for me, but Bob lived in Greece for a year over 50 years ago.

The narrow streets and whitewashed buildings
of Mykonos

We walked along the shore past a whitewashed church, through the narrow flat stone streets winding along the shoreline and into town, twisting and turning with shops and restaurants at every turn.  Apparently the streets were deliberately made to be that way to confuse pirates in the past! But it is charming; and at one point, the very narrow street actually went through the middle of the outdoor restaurants or hugged the shoreline such that the waves beat up onto the walkway causing us to get sea sprayed!

Then we came upon the iconic windmills, the island’s most recognized landmarks.  The five

Narrow walkway along the seashore and the iconic windmills
on Mykonos Island

remaining windmills are a fraction of the original number.  The year-round wind here made this an ideal place for these structures to refine grain, though I understand that many of the other Greek islands had windmills as well.  Continuing our walk through the narrow streets of this quaint little town we come upon “Little Venice” hosting shops of every kind. I particularly loved the clothing … either the Greek peasant look of the blouses, or the many crocheted covers, tops, even dresses and pants. And I drooled over the ancient “queen” look of the draping dresses tied with a belt, jewels along the neckline … just add an arm bracelet and high-strapped sandals … sweet!

We sat in a café for a drink … Bob had their well-known ouzo (a clear, licorice-flavored liqueur … he said it brought him back to when he lived on Crete!).  And I noticed that everything, I mean everything is whitewashed … everything on the buildings, even some of the tree trunks were whitewashed four-five feet high.  Apparently it helps keep the area cooler in the summers, but it also gives the island a very distinctive look.  It was also fun to see Bob recalling his “Greek days” by thanking the clerks in the various stores or servers at the restaurants in Greek.  Without fail, it aroused a smile and delight from the Greek who was so delighted that a foreigner would speak their language … loved it!

Sunset over the Aegean Sea

After eating a typical Greek dinner (moussaka … a minced meat, eggplant and potato casserole topped with feta cheese … tasty!), watching the sun set over the Aegean Sea and walking back to the dock, we tendered back to the ship … windblown but delighted in having enjoyed this lovely little island, which was also frequented by Jackie Onassis, and the “jet set” has  made owning a home on this sun bathed island a status symbol too. Don’t worry, you can’t afford it!

One of the side tours possible was to go to the neighboring island of Delos, which, in Greek mythology, boasts the birthplace of the twin Greek gods Apollo and Artemis.  Apparently it is a massive site of ruins associated with these gods; however, we chose not to go there this time. Mykonos is also known for its many beautiful beaches; but they were not within walking distance and time was not on our side.

It was a lovely afternoon strolling through this idyllic Greek island … God has been so good to us!!

Day 14, September 1, 2015 … Wow … where do I start about today?  We were up very early with an early breakfast and ready to go on a Princess Cruise scheduled tour for the Acropolis in Athens and then a drive to Ancient Corinth, the Corinth Museum and the Corinthian Canal.  Greece, too, has a very long and varied history, which first became the current-day country in the 1920s. One of the things that struck me was the ancient religion of their mythical gods.  Often times as our guide talked  I couldn’t tell  whether she was describing reality or mythology … they seem to intertwine together. I definitely need to do more studying of Greek mythology!

I was also surprised to see that Athens, a now huge city, often called the “Birthplace of democracy”, seemed relatively modern compared to the more ancient looking Istanbul or Venice. The top floors of most buildings were obviously living quarters because of the awning-covered balconies. Many of the streets we saw were also lined with tall trees, plus trees and bushes growing on tops of many of the buildings. Marble is plentiful and inexpensive in Greece, as it comes from many of the country’s 6,050 mountains; and it is common to have marble facade on the outside of buildings, plus on the walls and floors. Olive trees are considered sacred in Greece, with olives and olive oil being major exports. The trees are considered sacred because of the legend of the competition between Poseidon, who gave the City of Athens water, and Athena, who bestowed the olive tree, thereby winning the contest and becoming the city’s namesake!

Acropolis with the Parthenon, the Erechtheum and the Temple of Zeus …The history here has mythology, architecture, art, literature, philosophy and political aspects all intertwined, and the ancient ruins reflect it all. We walked up the 80 steps, through a beautiful cooling garden of olive ^th century BC with its tall classical columns and, in its day, was filled with painted statues and gardens to make it a beautiful area of balanced harmony.  It is quite a stunning architectural and engineering feat, every aspect created and designed with a specific purpose in mind!

The Parthenon on the Acropolis
Athens, Greece

trees, to the top of the high Acropolis, through the monumental gateway of the Propylaea, another columned building.  Then we see the iconic Parthenon, the Temple of the Virgin, a colossal white marble temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom. It was constructed in the 5

Also on this Acropolis is the Erectheion, a smaller structure of columns. This sacred site has a “Porch of the Caryatids ” currently six statues of maidens facing east.  From the top of the Acropolis we looked down on the Temple of Zeus. Built in 456 BC, only 15 of the original 42’ Corinthian columns remain.  It was the grandest temple of its time and once housed a carved ivory and gold statue of Zeus. Other ruins we could see were that of a large theater and a concert hall and the Aeropagus, where St Paul, author of many of the New Testament epistles, addressed the Greeks.   We were in awe as we meandered among these ruins trying to imagine life here in a civilization twenty five hundred years ago.

The Porch of the Caryatids (Maidens) on the Erectheion
Athens, Greece

Ancient Corinth and the Corinth Canal … We climbed back into the motor coach and took a brief tour through Athens … a few more ruins, past some lovely churches and the government buildings, including the Parliament building, where recent riots have blared across our home television screens, then north and west, along the shore line to the Isthmus of Corinth.  We had a delicious Greek buffet in the Kalamaka Hotel situated by the bay.

Ancient Corinth lay at the foot of a mountain, and it has been confirmed that St Paul did indeed work and preach here, bringing Christianity to this region. The ancient city is in ruins now, but they are in the process of restoring it; and there were many drawings indicating what it may have looked like at that time. It has also been proven that this city has been occupied continuously for about 9,000 years.   In the late 19^th century there was a very large earthquake in this region, devastating the area.  After that, the city of Corinth was moved to more solid ground closer to the water where the modern city is today.

Ancient Cornith

The Corinth Canal

We stopped by a craft area selling the wares of
locally created marble statues, pottery, jewelry, etc., and finally stopped at the Corinth Canal. This was a very impressive accomplishment built in 1893; it had been attempted at least twice before first by the Emperor Nero in the first century AD. Finally a French company succeeded. Using over 10,000 people, they worked for 12 years to complete this four-mile-long, 80-foot wide, 100-foot deep canal through solid granite to connect the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The canal connects two economically important seafaring areas rather than having to sail all the way around the Peloponnese Peninsula.

It’s been another long but great day. The weather when leaving Corinth registered 38 degrees C … 100 degrees F. No wonder we are hot and tired!  Back on the ship, a quick shower, snacks and a drink, champagne and a little art lesson and once again a delicious, fun-filled dinner catching up on what the others, who share our dinner table, have done the past two days finished off another incredible day.