Dance To The Music

With Greek music playing, the engaging proprietor of the Corinth Canal souvenir stand danced to our delight. We had to buy the CD.

Corinth Canal

This is a popular tourist sight. We didn't ride the boat but the bridge view is a must.

Farewell, Ermioni

This morning, we left Ermioni behind, with many fond memories of our time there. We really got into everyday life. We went to the market every day, learned to say hello, goodbye, please and thank you, met many wonderful people and relaxed. We lived here and experienced the Greek way of life, if only for a short while. It was everything we wanted.

We're driving to Porto Rafti, a suburb of Athens (believe me, you do NOT want to drive in Athens...yikes), near the airport. We will stay the night at the Sea Sight Boutique Hotel. If we have internet access, you may see a few more photos. Then tomorrow we head for home via Munich and Chicago!

At a bench in the pine forest

When we saw this carving on the bench, we just couldn't resist!

Self portrait on the rocks

Even with a big camera, you can hold it out far enough to take your own picture...cool.

Petrothalassa Beach

Today we went to a nearby beach. While it was a little cool for swimming, it was great for wading and sitting in the sun on the rocks.

Our 35th Anniversary!

Our anniversary dinner-- freshly prepared by the best chefs in town - us! We had Greek salad, broiled lamb chops, fresh green beans and roasted potatoes with olive oil and Greek oregano and fresh bread from the bakery. Delicious! Oh, and wine of course...lots of wine, locally produced. In fact, we're still drinking it!

Our anniversary activity of the day was walking about a mile over boulders and through thorn bushes to visit a prehistoric site called the Franchithi Cave. Impossible to photograph, but very impressive.

And now, we're going for ice cream.

Heading Home

We ended our day with a sunset on the island of Poros as captured in this quiet shot by SandyB.

Gift & Souvenir Shop

This is typical of the many gift shops we've seen. Every thing from T-shirts to a bar of olive oil soap that comes with a free refrigerator magnet.

This particular store brings me back to my old hippie days.

Ready for Grilling

You'll never see this in Kansas City.

Approaching the Dock in Poros

This is the stuff that inspires the artist in each of us.

The Ferry to Poros

Sandy is mesmerized as we approach the hillside village on the island of Poros.

Roadway Shrines--A Common Sight

This is the elaborate Greek version of the make-shift commemorative crosses that dot our roads in the U.S.

Blue Cross Church with Shrine

This beautiful shot by Sandy with her small, simple point and shoot Pentax shows that a great photo comes from the eye of the photographer.

On the way to Poros

After leaving the internet cafe, we headed Northeast along the coast to Galatas Village. From there we took a ferry to the island of Poros.

The views along the way are spectacular.

Internet Cafe

OK. The internet is not working today at our house. So through the wonders of modern technology, we just moved on down the road to the local internet cafe...got some cappuccino and...voila! It's a bit of a pain, though, since there's no place to plug in and we have a really wimpy laptop battery. Here I am, getting online, staying in touch!
Sandy

The Mycenae Experience

Grave Circle

These ruins from about 1550 BC are where the Mycenaen royalty were buried - 9 women, 8 men and 2 children were entombed in 6 different graves. Many artifacts were found here which are now housed in the on site museum--pottery, jewelry, swords, spears, engraved cups, frescoes and carvings. Viewing 5,000 year old objects leaves one speechless.

Mycenae - Lion Gate

The massive stone above the doorway (the lintel) in this impressive entrance to the ancient city weighs about 18 tons. This style of wall construction is named Cyclopean because legend has it that the giant cyclops were the ones who moved the stones into position.

Mycenae Wall

This is part of the wall that originally encircled the entire city. The wall is 20 feet thick, 40 feet high and 3,000 feet long and each of the large stones weighs over 5 tons. Over 14,000 of them were used to build it. It is impossible to photograph the grandeur of it all...it's like trying to photograph the Grand Canyon. It took our breath away. And remember, these walls were built, starting about 1300 BC. Some of the ruins 0n the site can be dated back to 4000 BC - the Helladic period.

Mycenaean Bridge, on the road to Mycenae

This is the whole bridge. There are several of these right off the highway on the route to the ancient archeological site of Mycenae. The ancient Greeks went to this site to see ruins from their early ancestors, more than a thousand years before their time!

Mycenaen Bridge

This gives you an idea of how large these stones are. No mortar - just careful and efficient stacking. You can drive over this bridge. These bridges are from about 1700 BC.

Light & Shadow

Wow.

That's all I got.

Spetses Food Court

Although it's beautiful...for us, Spetses appeared to lack some of the local flavor that we found so appealing in many other villages.

Old Spetses Storefront

This Spetses storefront caught our eye amid those more attractive to most tourists.

Carriage Cam

Our tour guide pointed out many sights along the way.

A Carriage Ride in Spetses

After Thursday's Farmer's Market, we drove to the tiny village of Costa where we caught a water taxi to the island of Spetses--an 8 to 10 minute ride at most.

Then we thought it would be fun to rent an ATV. Well, let's just say the horse and carriage was much more relaxing.

Body Double?

Really, I didn't take a new job.

Thursday's Farmer's Market

I'm fairly certain you won't find some of these delicacies at your local grocery store.

Photographer's Paradise

Yesterday, I got up before dawn and took this shot from the end of the pier.

Photo uploader not working today...stay tuned. Sandy & Dennis

Happy Birthday, Dorable!

They say it's your      birthday

You're gonna have a good time

We're glad it's your birthday

Happy birthday to you

Tasos Taverna

We had a lovely dinner here this evening. This taverna is in a small restaurant area along the waterfront on the backside of the village.

Cascading Color

Remember those two little fuschia colored flowers? Here's how you see them all over the village.

What a perfect way to advertise your local garden center.

Another view of Ermioni

In this shot you can clearly see the pine forest. Our house is the third rooftop from the right.

Super Market Goose

No, he's not for sale--he's their pet. Nobody seems to pay any attention to him and I got a few strange looks taking this shot.

Two Ladies

These two women were very kind to oblige the new lens in town. Old and young alike don't seem to mind my intrusions.

A study in contrast

Meet me at the market

A splotch of color

These little flowers are everywhere, cascading over gates, doorways and fences.

Yellow Market

We stumbled upon this market and a few other shops in a small retail area...right in the midst of the hillside village.

You'll notice that it is closed.  Most of the shops in Greece close between 2:00 and 5:30pm every day.

Little Girl in Blue

This little girl heard us outside and flung open the shutters to see what we were doing.  No matter where you are, little kids love to have their picture taken.

Scooter with Goose Planter

The colors and textures we found around every corner of the village were amazing and wonderful.

More Ermioni

High on a hillside, overlooking the harbor is the Ermioni Windmill.  It has been turned into a bar and restaurant.

And unless you are dangling from a helicopter out over the harbor, you cannot see the whole thing.  So...I just made sure I couldn't see the liquor bottles through the window just below that roof line and...voila! ~ Sandy

Now it's time to say goodnight.

Good night...good night...

Our favorite place...Ermioni

How could you not love it here?

Next stop, Epidavros

Seating 13,000 - 14,000 people, this theatre  from 300 BC is still in use today with festivals and concerts throughout the summer.  The small dot in the center is a woman singing a song and Dennis could hear her all the way at the top. One of the small dots on the bottom left is me.  This is truly an amazing place.  The theatre is only a small part of the excavation being done by the archeologists.

Fixing a Hole...

While wandering through the castle ruins, we found an ancient skylight.

The Castle

On top of one of the mountains, there are the remnants of an ancient castle.

Nafplio - the Bourtzi fortress

Turn around, and in the middle of the harbor is an island fortress. It is said that this fortress was used to house the executioners because they didn't feel it was smart to house them on the mainland.

Note, even in Greece there is graffiti. This bit of artwork is on the base of the light at the end of the pier.