I’m learning to see all over again,

Eyes wide open but vision lacking.

At 60 plus, the old vitreous has peeled away,

Much like the white puckered membrane

Within a pomegranate newly cleaved….

A year ago I walked the parapets of old Dubrovnik;

My gaze fastened on the vast vista of the Adriatic

And the pomegranate trees below heavily laden

With Persephone’s fruit–a late fall harvest to appease

Those so fearful of winter’s loss like the grieving Demeter.

Oh, ancient fruit–your rough mottled skin

Conceals unparalleled perfection of form and hue.

I remember encountering you

Growing wild on the slopes of Epidaurus

While traveling  in Greece with my mother and daughter.

Now I try to capture your mystery

Atop a grey metal table in the late morning sun,

Here in a newly minted gallery

Where once hardened prisoners served time

I  float in more French aquamarine onto  alarazin crimson

So that my still life pomegranate

Will glow and glow and glow…

Teaching me the Truth I yearn to know.

Those who are deeply interested in the arts must go and see Epidaurus, the most famous theatre in ancient Greece. Whether you grew up with a strong arts appreciation or you are only a casual consumer, I would recommend you take the Epidaurus Tour from Athens Greece by way of Mycenae, which was once described as a “city rich in gold.” This is also where the Golden Mask of Agamemnon was unearthed. The tour will take you through the Lion Gate and up to Agamemnon’s Royal Palace in Mycenae.

You will begin your trip by driving along the coastal road of the Saronic Gulf, passing by the well-known Corinth Canal. Then you will continue on until you reach Mycenae, where you will receive a guided tour of the ruins which mark the destruction of the city. Mycenae is the most important archaeological site on the mainland and is located in the northeastern Peloponnese. It was once one of the major centers of Greek civilization and a military stronghold that covered much of the southeastern part of Greece.

Mycenae - Epidaurus Tour from Athens Greece

During the afternoon you will visit Epidaurus, which is a favorite stopping point on the trip. This theatre is known for its incredible acoustics and its symmetry and beauty. In the theatre, it is said that you can hear unamplified spoken word no matter where in the 15,000 seats you sit. This is a testament to the sophistication of Greek technical knowledge which was way before its time. Take this tour and you will embark on a journey through history that is unlike any other. The historical and archaeological insights you will take away from this trip are priceless, and in my book this does a wonderful job of sharing a piece of history with us.

More on this tour can be found at www.AthensTours.net.

from http://parsifal79.blogspot.com/

“Jeremy Irons heading to his seat, the girls go wild,
so do the flashes…”

——————————————————————————————————–

———————————————————————————————————
from Metis on www.menstennisforums.com:

“Anyway, the performance in Epidaurus was excellent. The theatre was full (15,000 people) and the atmosphere awesome. Rebecca Hall (Peter Hall’s daughter, the brunette in ‘Vicky, Christina, Barcelona’) was outstanding; in fact everyone was very good and they looked like they were enjoying themselves, not just performing. Ethan Hawke was very entertaining as the shameless peddler and pickpocket; he played the guitar and sang a couple of songs too.

Jeremy Irons was in the audience looking sexy as usual (his wife was in the play and I think she was my favorite). He went all the way up to the top rows; probably wanted to appreciate the famous acoustics of the theatre. Kevin Spacey was there too (apparently he is the artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre in London which was part of this production).”
———————————————————————————————————
from Lauren O’Hara on www.cyprus-mail.com

“EPIDAVROS, like Limassol’s Curium, is one the great ancient amphitheatres of the world and on Saturday night it was full to its 10,000 capacity for the final performance of the festival’s A Winter’s Tale.

The tragedy of wildfires raged around Athens once more, making the sunset eerily spectacular. At nightfall, the sky above the ancient site was clear and starlit as was the star-studded audience that waited for the unique Shakespeare: half tragic, half comic.

Jeremy Irons arrived looking curiously like Dumbledore to support his wife Sinead Cusack, who was playing Paulina. As he, embarrassingly, walked up the ancient steps to find his seat amont us, he looking surprisingly shy to be seen, although one couldn’t help but feel that the full length white kaftan and flowing brown robe were always going to be a giveaway. He was quickly followed by Kevin Spacey who received even louder cheers and took his seat amiably among us plebs just a few old stones away from where we sat.”
———————————————————————————————————

Reisebericht der Stella Maris Crew.

Wie immer läuft nicht alles, wie man plante. Am Dienstag, den 28. Juli sollten Jan und Nina kommen. Olympic Airways hatte etwas dagegen. Sie strichen den Flug Berlin-Athen ersatzlos. So kamen die Zwei erst einen Tag später bei uns an.
Wir blieben einen weiteren Tag in Aegina, um dann am Freitag nach Epidaurus auf der Peleponnes zu verholen und gleich abends ins Theater zu gehen. Nicht weit von der neuen Hafenstadt Epidaurus ist das im Altertum berühmte Asklepios-Heilig mit dem best erhaltenen alten Theater Griechenlands, das bis zu 12.000 Zuschauern Platz bot und eine unglaubliche Akustik besitzt. Von Anfang Juli bis Ende August werden jedes Wochenende klassische altgriechische Stücke gegeben. An “unserem” Wochenende gab es die Perser von Aischilos, das von der Niederlage der Perser in der Seeschlacht von Salamis handelt. Verstanden haben wir zwar kein Wort, aber die Atmosphäre war unglaublich schön. Das Theater war zu etwa 80 % besetzt, davon offensichtlich sehr viele Griechen. Als wir nachts gegen 1.00 Uhr zurückkamen, lag ein riesiges Boot direkt neben uns (ca 50 m lang, 8 m breit und unendlich hoch. Wir bekamen einen grossen Schreck, aber alles war in Ordnung und als sie am nächsten Morgen schon um 5.30 Uhr ausliefen, ging auch alles gut.
Wir verliessen den Hafen später, um am Abend unter Kap Sunion zu ankern. Oben auf dem Kap stehen die Ruinen eines berühmten Poseidon-Tempels, den wir am nächsten Morgen besuchten. Den Rest des Tages verbrachteb wir in der Bucht, um am nächsten Morgen nach Kithnos zu segeln, wo wir noch ein Plätzchen im Hafen fanden und uns in der heissen Schwefelquelle, die in das Meer mündet, aalten. Heute sind wir in Ermoupolis auf Syros angekommen. Wir nähern uns langsam unserem nächsten Ziel: Delos.
Das Wetter ist  täglich von morgens bis abends sonnig, die Temperaturen schwanken zwischen 25  und 34 Grad, der Wind zwischen 0 bis 6 Bft. Ihr seht, es ist ein wenig Abwechslung im Wetter. Wenn es Wind gibt, ist es eine herrliche Segelei, weil die Wellen meist nicht sehr hoch sind. Werden die Wellen mal höher, sind  sie ein wenig unangenehm, weil sie sehr kurz und steil sind.
Sonst geht es uns gut, wir geniessen die angenehme Atmosphaere der kleinen griechischen Orte und ihrer Tavernen.
Grüße von der Stella Maris 4. August 2009

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Visitors may explore Greek history and art through a huge collection of items on sale at nine shops (www.museumshop.gr) of the Hellenic Culture Organisation located at museums and archaeological sites throughout the country. Divided into two main categories of replicas and modern applications, the items are of aesthetic value highlighting the timelessness and distinctiveness of ancient Greek civilization. The replicas of significant works of ancient art on display at Greek museums bear seals of authenticity and the signature of the Ministry of Culture. The items at each store are inspired by the artefacts on display at the museums. Visitors to the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum may find replicas of masterpieces dating from prehistoric and classical times, while the Vergina Museum has items inspired from Macedonian works. Statues, pottery, portraits, coins and jewellery have all been made according to traditional and modern techniques. The other museums are: Delos, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Ancient Olympia, Knossos, and Delphi. [Photo: The Head of Aphrodite in Benaki Museum]

So I’ve been away for the last 5 weeks and I have tried to see as much theatre as possible.  I saw many shows in London as well as a show in the ancient theatre at Epidaurus in the Peloponnese in Greece.  The theatre there was built in the 4th century B.C. and seats nearly 15,000 people. (My dad pointed out that that is 3,000 more seats than Poly Pavilion where the UCLA basketball team plays!)  The theatre boasts perfect acoustics – which is a delight to the actor.  My sister and I saw Helen Mirren in Phaedre when we were visit the theatre.  It was a very interesting and exciting experience. Although they did not have an ATM… a very frustrating experience when you’re coming from New York City.  We do get spoiled by an ATM every block… . (because we didn’t have any cash we couldn’t eat from about 3pm until 1am….)

Helen Mirren in PHAEDRA

Well, before the show started we walked around the ancient site.  There were temples to different gods, and bath houses for healing as well as a very large stadium.  The theatre was set on one side of the city and looked out into the hills sourrounding it.  What blew my mind was that the theatre, essentially in the middle of nowhere, sat that many people.  And when Helen Mirren whispered the word “Hyppolytus” because she couldn’t find the strength to bring  more volume to the name of the man she loved, all of the thousands of us present could hear it perfectly.  It was chillingly exciting. And it got me thinking about how we really don’t need all the intricate and fancy modern conveniences that we have grown accustomed to in order to put on great theatre.

Besides these perfect acoustics, there are no perks to the theatre. No plush seats, no cocktail bar, no huge chandelier… no intermission.  It was all about the audience coming to hear a story being told by actors.  There were 3 chairs on stage and I even thought that that was too much.  The simplicity made me think about how we do theatre back home in the states. Glitz and glamour and pleasing th ehigh paying patrons has become such a priority that tickets are over $100  to see a show.  Many people are no longer able to afford theatre.  And that is a problem.

Theatre was a religious experience for the ancient Greeks.  And so they came in droves.  Even though not much in contemporary society is religious anymore, theatre can still be a space in time that is magical, uplifting, and unique.  And necessary.

I saw All’s Well That Ends Well at the National when I was in London. By no means was it a low budget show, although somehow they did make tickets affordable (the highest ticket price was 30 pounds).  There were huge sets and wonderful costumes.  But they all meant something.  Every single piece of the set served a purpose and helped tell the story.

Since we are, obviously, living in today’s world, and not in the 4th century B.C., our audiences expect an interesting set or costumes or something when they come to a big show.  But I hope more and more theatres do what the National did and take a lesson from the fact that theatre is one of the oldest trades in the game.  It has been around for thousands of years.  And it is because we all want to hear and tell stories.  It’s just as simple as that.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Following the instructions of Royal National Theatre’s artistic director Nicholas Hytner, Oscar-winning British actress Helen Mirren and co-star Dominic Cooper received widespread praise for Racine’s “Phedre” – based on Euripides’s play “Hippolytus”- performed on June 11 at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, as part of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. Phèdre, recounts the story of a queen’s destructive obsession with her stepson, filtered through the eyes of a 17th century French playwright and the freewheeling translation of a British poet, Ted Hughes.  The night of the performance, the theatre was filled with admirers of both Mirren and the ancient Greek drama, with visitors coming from Greece and abroad.   Epidaurus Theatre is to host other prominent artists this summer, including British director Sam Mendes and veteran French actress Jeanne Moreau in the coming weeks.  The Times: Dame Helen Mirren is worthy of the Epidaurus   Athens and Epidaurus Festival: www.greekfestival.gr

 [Note: Travel Diary updated to include Greece!]

Get up and close to the Parthenon at the Acropolis

Keeping up with my tradition of a outlining the highlights following a big trip (like my European Adventure Round-up), here is a big fat round-up of my spectacular adventure in Greece!

Overview

As an aspiring writer who is kicking things off with a fantasy novel, I am a sucker for the ancient world.  For those who have not read my European Adventure Round-Up, my favourite attraction from that trip was Palatine Hill in Rome (a large area of ancient ruins).  Greece is full of places like that, and many of them more spectacular and better preserved, plus there are the amazing, absolutely breathtaking views.  I had never been much of a scenery kind of guy, but the things I saw on this trip just blew me away!  I had already seen too many churchs and cathedrals (to the point where they kind of all melt into one), so Greece was an exciting new experience for me.

We had roughly 8 days in total, but you need to keep in mind that my wife and I were lugging my 60 year-old parents with us (though they are in supreme shape and after often mistaken for being in their late 40s).  Hence there was a lot of starting and stopping, some decent rests in between.  We probably saw less things but it was a lot more relaxing than it would have been had it just been the two of us.  If I had more time and money, 2 weeks would have been perfect, though you could easily spend a month island hopping if you wanted to.

Places visited

• 2 days in Athens;
• 1 day cruise to the Saronic islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina;
• 1 day trip by taxi to the Peloponnese (Corinth, Mycenae and Nafplio)
• 1 day trip by taxi to Delphi;
• 1/2 a day on the Cycladic island of Milos; and
• 1 day on the Cycladic island of Santorini.

Ancient Corinth

Best experience(s)

It’s too hard to pick a single experience as the best in Greece, so I’ll pick 2.

The first of course is the marvellous island(s) of Santorini, definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world.  There’s just something magical about the place, made more mystical due to the suggestion that it may be the lost island of Atlantis.  Every picture you take in Santorini could be slapped onto a postcard.  Whether you’re into ancient archaeological sites (Ancient Thera or Akrotiri – when it opens again), beautiful scenery (Fira, Oia), volcanoes (Nea Kameni) or just like to hang out on the beach (Kamari, Perissa or the Red Beach), Santorini caters.  No wonder it is a favourite for celebrities and weddings.  It’s a place I’d very much like to visit again if I get the chance.

People waiting to catch the sunset in Oia (Santorini)

The second is the archaeological site of Delphi, one of the surprises of the trip.  Delphi is jaw-dropping because of where it is situated, the sheer size of the site, the granduer of the structures and the amazing level of preservation.  There are temples, theatres, halls, treasuries, stadiums – you name it.  If you only see one archaeological site in Greece, Delphi is the place to go (though it’s hard to skip the Acropolis in Athens).

Worst experience

Easy – our hellish ferry ride from Athens to Santorini that took 23 hours instead of the scheduled 5.  Double-booked seats, poor safety, mass vomiting, disorganisation to absolute chaos, the ride just about had it all.  I think it’s something I’ll look back upon as a fascinating experience, but it’s certainly not something I want to go through again!

Most beautiful/spectacular

Too hard to pick.  In terms of pure natural beauty, you can’t go past Santorini.  Views from both Fira and Oia are unmatched.  he volcanic island of Nea Kameni is also worth visiting.  On the other hand, the island of Hydra (though we only spent 90 minutes there) was also very pretty.  But if you prefer views over Athens, Lycabettus Hill and the top of the Acropolis are my picks.

In terms of the biggest spectacle, there’s the archaeological sites of Delphi, the Acropolis and Ancient Agora.  I just can’t make up my mind.

You can see the Acropolis atop Lycabettus Jill

Most informative

I only went to 2 museums, the massive National Archaeological Museum in Athens (near Victoria metro station) and the small but impressive Museum of Prehistoric Thira on Santorini.  Nevertheless, both were excellent and I would recommend them to anyone wanting to learn a bit about the fascinating history of Greece.

Note at the time of visiting, the highly anticipated Acropolis Museum in Athens had not yet opened, but it has now, and I hear that is a must-visit too.

Most underrated

I hadn’t heard of Palamidi Castle in Nafplio before, but if you are visiting the Peloponnese I’d recommend checking it out.  It is exceptionally well-preserved and you can explore the various bastions, climbing up to the top if you want to.  The views are also impressive.  The place gave me plenty of ideas for the settings in my fantasy novel.

Palamidi Castle was superb

Most overrated

I don’t want to call any place ‘overrated’ in Greece because they were all good in my opinion, but if I had to pick one it would probably be the Mycenaen Acropolis.  Apart from the Lion Gate at the entrance and a few grave circles here and there, there wasn’t all that much to see in terms of archaeological structures.  That said, the view from the top was still mighty impressive.  However, if you visit somewhere like Delphi then you can probably give Mycenae a miss.

Top 5 must-see attractions

It’s extremely difficult to pick 5 out of so many attractions in Greece.  Of the top of my head here are mine, in descending order.

5. Ancient Agora (Athens) – I wish I had spent more time here because it was so big and there was a museum there too, but even just an hour or so in Ancient Agora was enough to place it in my top 5.  The Temple of Hephaestus is perhaps the most complete and well-preserved structure I’ve ever seen at around 2,500 years old, but it’s not the only thing to see there.  If you’re in the area make sure you go and take a look.

4. Palamidi Castle (Nafplio) – maybe I am overrating it here, but the surprise element probably has something to do with Palamidi Castle being ranked 4th.  The scale and scope and views are all top-notch and I love how you can explore the grounds – each bastion is a mini-adventure.

3. Nea Kameni (Santorini) – you can’t really call the whole of Santorini an ‘attraction’, but it’ll be a crime to something from Santorini in the top 5 – so I’ve chosen Nea Kameni, the magnificent volcano that left me awestruck at its devastating power.  If you’re making the 90 minute trek to the top of the volcano and back, make sure you wear a hat or bring an umbrella and bring plenty of fluids, and remember to avoid wearing open-toed shoes.

Nea Kameni volcano at Santorini

2. The Acropolis (Athens) – it was a tough choice to put the Acropolis at number 2.  Typically, the number one attraction can get hyped up too much, but no amount of hype can make the Acropolis disappointing.  It needs to be seen, simple as that.  Don’t forget to check out the Theatre of Dionysos and Odeum of Herodes while you’re there.  And now, with the Acropolis Museum, it’s a must-must-visit.

1. Archaeological Site of Delphi – there’s an element of surprise with this one as well, but the archaeological site of Delphi is a true wonder of the Ancient Greek world that every visitor to Greece should experience.  When you’re there, try and imagine what it was like more than 2,600 years ago, and no matter how unbearable hot it gets, try and make it to the very top.  The view of the entire archaeological site is something I will always remember.

Delphi is No. 1

There were many other attractions that I left off the list that are worth visiting.  Just missing the cut include Lycabettus Hill, the Temple of Olympic Zeus, the island of Hydra and the National Archaeological Museum.  The towns of Fira and Oia (especially for the sunset) on Santorini aren’t too shabby either.

Places I wish I saw (or want to see next time)

My biggest disappointments on the trip were missing the theatre at Epidavros (Epidaurus) and the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia at Delphi.  I would have also liked to have visited more places on the Peloponnese, such as Olympia and Sparta.  On the mainland I wish I had time to visit Meteora, which I hear is awesome, but you’d need to take a 2-day trip from Athens.  In terms of islands of course I wanted to see Mykonos and also Crete.  If I visit Athens again I’d also like to see the new Acropolis Museum and the Benzaki Museum near Syntagma Square.  Maybe next time.

Additional information

For more details see the following individual posts or my Travel Diary:

• See Athens in 2 Days!
• Review: Day Cruise to Hydra, Poros, Aegina
• Review: the Peloponnese and Delphi by Taxi!
• Ferry From Hell: Athens to Santorini (includes Milos)
• Santorini in One Day!

For those visiting Athens in small groups or are willing to dish out a little extra cash, you may want to consider hiring a taxi for a day or two to visit places outside the capital.  As a sucker for ancient ruins and Greek mythology, my family of 4 (parents, wife and myself) took two separate day trips by taxi to the east side of the Peloponnese (Corinth, Mycenae and Nafplio) and Delphi, some of the most amazing and fascinating places in all of Greece.  Here’s what I thought of it.

Why taxi?

All-day taxi hire prices in Greece are generally quite reasonable, and there are plenty of services around that specialize in such tours.  We went with Greece Taxi (which was the cheapest by a slim margin) but there are lots of others such as Greek Taxi and George the Famous Taxi Driver of Greece

My experience

Booking online in advance with Greece Taxi was easy and straightforward.  They were very fast in responding to inquiries and wrote and spoke excellent English.

Both tours were also pleasant, though if I were to pick one I would go for Delphi (which I’m told is the msot popular one-day tour).  Before I arrived in Greece, I was most looking forward to the Peloponnese trip, but if you were going to visit just one place outside of Athens, I would recommend Delphi.

The Peloponnese (Corinth, Mycenae, Nafplio)

The spectacular Corinth Canal

Our driver Bill arrived a little late due to traffic, but when we called up the office to check they were very apologetic and good about it.  Bill was pretty funny, and spoke enough English to communicate and tell us a bit about the places we were going to.  The funniest thing was that he printed off info off the web for us and added his own comments and corrections to them.

Bill drove like an absolute demon, going up to 160-180 km/h, but for the most part he was in control.  The first stop was Corinth Canal, which was spectacular to look for a little while.   Then we headed to the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth (at one time one of the 3 major powers in Greece), where we got to see the majestic Temple of Apollo (there seemed to be quite a few of these in Greece).  Much of the place was in ruins but there was enough to see (including a small museum) to get your money’s worth.  Entry was 7 Euros per person (free for EU students!).  About 60-90 minutes was sufficient for us.

The Temple of Apollo at Ancient Corinth

Next we headed to the ancient city of Mycenae, also worth a look but probably the one place I would personally skip if there was something else better (and there probably was, read on).  The Mycenean acropolis is perched on a hill and you have to walk up to see the various archaelogical finds.  The highlights include the Lion Gate at the entry and Grave Circle A, which dates back to 16th Century BC.  Roughly 45 minutes to an hour is ample time.  Entry is 8 Euros each (students free).

The Mycenaean acropolis

The third stop was the beautiful seaside town of Nafplio, we we had a lengthy albeit expensive lunch, while Bill went to visit his cousin and grandmother.  After lunch we went to visit Palamidi Castle up on the hill, one of the most underrated attractions on the Peloponnese.  The castle was most probably our highlight of the day, and we spent about 2 hours there as there was much to see and explore.  You can go right in and see the well-preserved bastions (as it was built in the early 19th Century) – it was a true architectural masterpiece, and the views overlooking the sea were magnificent.  Entry is 4 Euros (students free).  We had a feeling that you can easily spend a couple of days in Nafplio.

The very underrated Palamidi Castle in Nafplio

Unfortunately, Bill told us that time had run out and it was time to head back to Athens.  Here’s an important tip: make sure you know what’s on your itinerary.  We didn’t, so we didn’t know that we were supposed to visit Epidavros (or Epidaurus) and its famous theatre on the way back.  We did inquire about it but Bill told us there wasn’t enough time to fit it in the schedule (even though we stuck to his time recommendations at each location).  I had a feeling Bill was trying to get home early for the day, as we arrived back at our hotel an hour earlier (so our trip was 9 hours instead of the 10 we paid for).  So it was a little disappointing because I was really looking forward to seeing the theatre, and we actually did have time to go see it but were kind of tricked out of it.  Apart from that bitter pill the rest of the trip was awesome.

Some views from the top of Palamidi Castle

Delphi

Our driver today was David, who spoke perfect English (as he was originally living in Melbourne).  David also drove like a demon, but he maxed out at around 160 km/h.  It took a little while but we eventually reached the town of Levadia, where we stopped to take some photos.  There wasn’t enough time to see the Castle there but we did get to see the water wheel, some running water, stone bridges and a nymph statue – all very pretty.

The Nymph at Levadia

We had another short stop (for coffee) just before reaching the town of Arachova (popular in the winter for skiiers), where we took some fantastic shots of the little houses perched on the hill.  Then we drove through the town’s narrow streets and eventually reached the brilliant, must-see archaelogical site of Delphi.  In my opinion if you see Delphi then you can live not seeing any other archaelogical sites in Greece.  It’s not only huge but also extraordinarily well preserved and there was so much to see (including a small museum).  It was, after all, considered by ancient Greeks as the centre of the world, and was where the Oracle once sat and delivered advice from the gods.

The bustling town of Arachova

The combined entry ticket (site and museum) is 9 Euros (students free again!).  For me, the highlights were of course the Temple of Apollo, the Theatre (to make up for the one missed in Epidavros) and the Hall of the Knidians right at the top.  The view was amazing and only got better and better as you walked up.

Note that the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaea is literally just down the road, but as we didn’t see any signs pointing towards it we missed it.  Make sure you don’t!

We actually spent a little too much time at Delphi (like 3 hours) because we liked it so much, and consequently decided to skip lunch and head back to Athens early.  We arrived only a few minutes to the 9-hour limit we paid for due to traffic.

The Temple and Theatre at the Sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi

Conclusion

I would definitely recommend getting a taxi for day trips from Athens (or even a couple of days to go further inland like Sparta and Oympia in the Peloponnese or Meteora).  The price is reasonable if you have 3 or more people, you save a great deal of time and the drivers are friendly but don’t get in your way.  Particularly in the summer it can be great getting back to a nicely air-conditioned car.  Just be smart and be aware of your itinerary and the places you want to visit so you don’t miss out on anything like we did.  If there are changes you would like to make then it’s best to discuss them up front with your driver.

PS: Due to a request I have enlarged the photos by, wait for it, 2%…seriously, I’m working on it.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   What is the Athens Festival & Epidaurus (www.greekfestival.gr)? A great celebration that has lasted 52 summers, and that has hosted some of the leading lights of theatre, music and dance.  It is a venture that, over the last two years, has taken on a youthful vitality, and openness. This year’s Athens & Epidaurus Festival is expected to outdo itself. Ambitious productions with actors of international calibre will be this year’s invited guests to Greece.  Athens and Epidaurus Festival: Programme 2009

Uneori, noi oamenii, ne înțelegem unii cu alții ca ciobanii de pe dealuri, fiecare urlă la celălalt de pe dealul său. Câteodată se înțelege clar, altădată vântul suflă vorbele de nu se mai înțelege nimic (vorbe-n vânt, sau vorbe duse de vânt). Ca sa ne întâlnim, e nevoie să coboram fiecare în valea care separă dealurile (sau munții – munții de orgoliu? de mândrie?), pentru a ne întâlni acolo jos, prin acest act chenotic, de coborare, pentru întâlnirea reală, chip către chip. Unii, cei smeriți, cei care se aseamănă deci Domnului, coboară ei primii în vale, vazând că celălalt nu are încă nici curajul, nici înțelegerea să o facă. Și îl asteaptă acolo, vorbindu-i lin, din vale. Oricum, de jos în sus se aude mai bine, ei sunt paradoxal înțeleși mai bine, dupa cum bine se știe din exemplul teatrelor antice grecești, construite pe versanții dealurilor. Daca arunci acolo un bănuț, clinchetul se aude pâna sus de tot. Sau o șoaptă. E suficientă. Să ne șoptim mai mult unii altora, să coborâm pe cât putem vocea. E o așa de mare gălăgie în lume. Și în noi. Nu se mai aud șoaptele line ale Domnului.

Epidaurus (Epidavros in Greek) is basically set up as an all-inclusive health club and resort. This is where wealthy Greeks would come for treatment of certain diseases or just to obtain better overall health. The patron god of this town was Asclepios, the healing god. His priests were also doctors at the resort. I call it a resort because it wasn’t really a town of its own. Very few people actually lived there. Most people only came for short periods of time (a few months at most) and lived in hotel rooms of sorts.

They had everything there – Roman-style baths, gymnasiums, a track, a theater for entertainment (the most well-preserved ancient theater in the world, I might add). The theater was a masterpiece, accoustic perfection. Our tour guide gave a demonstration to show us just how amazingly sound could be carried. I and several others went to the very top of the theater and could hear everything as if our guide were just a few feet away. We could hear him crumple and rip a piece of paper, whisper, even breathe. It was incredible.

If you were sick back in the day, this was definitely the place to be. You would be pampered, spoiled, and entertained until whatever ailed you eventually left.

I do find it interesting that the Greeks had a practice of making plaster molds or small sculptings of whatever body part wasn’t well and they presented that as an offering to the god Asclepios. They have found thousands of stone or plaster eyes, ears, noses, fingers, hands, feet, and certain other body parts which I will leave unnamed. I guess in the days of the early church, “miraculous” healings were promoted by the priests, but it was a big deal when Paul, Peter, and other apostles could actually do it.

Athens, Greece is one of the world’s oldest cities, with a recorded history dating back over 3,000 years.  It is also the capital and largest city in Greece.  Today, Athens is one of the leading business centres in the European Union and this year has been ranked the 32^nd richest city in one study.  Many famous philosophers and artists were born in this historic city, including Socrates, Sophocles, and Pericles.  It is also considered the birthplace of democracy because of its impact on culture and politics during the 4^th and 5^th centuries BC.

Athens Sightseeing Tour in Greece

The most famous architectural work in Athens is the Parthenon, a temple of Greek goddess Athena, which was built in the 5^th century BC on the Acropolis.  There are many ways to tour this great city and see this and other well-known pieces of art and architecture.  You can see Athens by bus or boat, by day and by night.  There are full-day tours of Delphi that depart from Athens and pass through Levadia and Arachova on their way to the archaeological site of Delphi which is positioned at the foot of the mountain Parnos.  Or, for a longer look at the area, you can take a 2-day trip from Athens to Mycenae with a featured stop at Epidaurus, a small city at the Saronic Gulf that is known for its famous theatre and incredible acoustics.   

To see the site of the first modern-day Olympic Games which took place in 1896, take the 4-hour Athens and Acropolis Sightseeing Tour in Greece, which combines the modern and classical sights into one informative trip.  On this journey you will see the Panathenian Stadium where the Olympics took place in addition to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which is dedicated to the father of the gods.  The highlight of the tour, of course, is the trip to the Acropolis and the world-famous Parthenon.  

It’s been a while since I put anything readable on this blog. Mostly due to my summer vacation (and my summer vacation mood ever since i got back to my Stockholm) .

Now It’s time to go back on track and follow the usual working routines as far as possible, thus I will be posting more often.For the time being I will try and bring back some things from the past 40 days during my vacation in Greece, and not only.

Here we go:

• Dutch Police rules! Last week I had to report the loss of my wallet at the police station in Scheveningen, The Hague, and i must admit i have never experienced such service. I was even offered a refreshment while waiting for the officer to fill in the report . For the record my wallet was found and returned at the Dutch Railway.
• I have been traveling a lot the past year and I must say that I appreciate airline services both on board and on the ground as quite important. During my vacation i had the chance to experience both good and very poor quality of services in terms of attitude and politeness. On my way to Greece, flying with Lufthansa, I had to stop in Frankfurt where the ladies on the transit desk where extremely helpful, friendly, polite and really willing to help (more than being typical) as they did. On the other hand, During my stay in Greece, I flew with Aegean (first flight of the day to Heraklion on July 26th). No trouble there for me, however, i couldn’t help noticing the attitude of the flight attendant towards a couple of tourists sitting next to me. I guess being polite is not something her strong competence. Of course one cannot generalize (I’ve seen it happening with other airlines too) either in favor or against one airline. I realized how important good service is and how much can it affect one’s perception towards a whole airline. Once again I brought back previous thoughts of mine on customer satisfaction.
• The famous iPhone update, version 2.0 (haven’t tried 2.02 yet), slowed down a bit my iPhone 2G! The iPhone is out in Greece since August 22nd; all problems solved !
• After 4 weeks of vacation in Greece I still feel that Greeks have become more impolite and smile less and less nowadays, like i have said in the past.
• Watching Oedipus At Colonus & Oedipus Rex at the ancient theater of Epidaurus was one of the highlights of my summer. Simply amazing!
• Greek food is well known, especially Cretan dishes & cheese (ξύγαλο rules!), which during this summer I enjoyed a lot along with some traditional Cretan raki!
  

  Cretan Raki & Meze

• Was this supposed to be an Olympic summer? The only think reminding me of it was the daily doping report of the Greek Olympic team. Once again everyone is against the Greeks. Simply pathetic!
• Η Καθημερινή έκανε λόγο για την “έρευνα” που έκαναν οι Γκρινιάρης, ~~Α~~, magica, Jaywalker, internetakias, Anilikos, Jim Hellas και η αφεντιά μου για την ακρίβεια βασικών προιόντων σε κάποιες ευρωπαικές χώρες εν συγκρίση με την Ελλάδα.

Obviously, I am no state to be watching art these days.  How else to explain the nervous giggles, acute boredom, and disbelief I have experienced in the last two shows I’ve attended? Two creations that have as much in common as Dubya and ingenuity? Either my id is acting up as a result of quitting theater and my I’d-rather-be-in-Gori-nursing-shrapnel-wounds-rather-than-auditioning attitude, or I truly did witness a double violation of the thespian craft.

Perpetrator number one was definitely more painful than the second.  A Greek dream team of actors took part in Roula Pateraki’s double Oedipus, including my second-favorite director ever, in whose theater I had just rehearsed.  I was ecstatic at finally going to Epidaurus, as for most of June and July I could only listen wistfully (OK, I was pea-green with envy) to the raves regarding the performances in this year’s Athens Festival. For me, being part of it was not enough. I don’t think I will get over missing Fiona Shaw playing Happy Days in Epidaurus; my taste of the Wooster Group’s exquisite Hamlet had only whetted my appetite for cerebral, avant-garde theater. Being a working actor means you never get to actually watch any performances other than your own, and even then, not properly. (The last show I was in, people kept telling me how much they loved the lighting design; I had no idea what the lighting looked like, and thanked them with cluelessness painted all over my face.)

But there I was, finally perched on the holy hill, grinning happily and squirming on the still-warm rock. We were sure that the performance would be exceptional; our only worry was that our sweet Marmarinos might not have the acting and vocal prowess to properly portray both Oedipus Rex and At Colonus.  We traded insider gossip, as only the most jaded, theater-going, know-it-alls do. We worried about his mouth surgery.

We needn’t have.

Marmarinos and the guy who played Creon as a baddie in some Zorro movie (circa 1940) were the only two people having a ball in this excruciatingly bad production. Four hours later, with a third of the theater gone and feeling like we had been beaten up, our only questions began with Why? Why? Why? We just couldn’t understand – anything at all.  As my shitlist of bad productions was given a new numbering system, we wondered:

Why pretend to use (i.e. light, and place a few benches on) the entire forest backdrop? I am all for treating actors and extras with the gentleness they deserve, but this duped us into thinking that it had some dramatic purpose.  Nope.  It was only for the guys who made the pretty patterns with silver dust in the orchestra to hang out on, until they had to go back and remake the pretty maze that the actors had the bad taste to spoil by stepping all over it. (We felt intellectually stumped as we debated the reasons.  The characters ignored the restraints of the maze of life, thus provoking the Gods’ wrath? The characters try to change the paths that Fate has laid out and fail?)

Why was everybody dressed Neanderthal-style, but the extras making the Silver Maze dressed like exterminators? Why could we see them? Why did they give up on the maze on the second part of the performance? Why did Antigone become an extra all throughout the second part? This brings us to:

Why on earth was Oedipus at Colonus performed first? I won’t begin to recount all the reasons we thought of; suffice to say, I stand by our last.  It simply was much better than Oedipus Rex, and they were aware that people would leave in droves.  When, a few days later, I found out the “truth” – all this was supposed to be Antigone’s recollection of her dad’s misfortune, and that was why she remained onstage throughout – I was aghast. I am sure there were a few simple things that could have been done (or even explained in the program – they weren’t) so that I would not have had to hunt throughout the acting community to find out.

Was this what the director had been dreaming of throughout her much-documented quest for the perfect production of Oedipus?  This was the summation of a year’s work? A leaden, academic reading of the two plays? With a few misguided directorial flourishes? Let’s not even get into the scratchy-voiced, shuffling, paper-clutching, half-monk, half-Star Wars extras that was the chorus.  The less said, the better about the emasculation of the most important part of any ancient Greek play.

Why was Kariofilia Karabeti as Antigone so unrecognizably bad? An Epidaurus veteran and with the sexiest voice in Greek theater, she normally has a knack for looking good even in bad productions; this time she bounded around like she was auditioning for Xena; the shrieking Ismene was her Gabriella, and they excelled at motion-stop-motion-speak/screech-start-motion-again acting. Amateur? Amazingly so.

Why did everybody wave their hands around, emphasing Ev-er-y syllable, in the most unnatural manner, and then stay stuck with their hands in the air for an indeterminable amount of time? Why? What was the purpose? Even our Press Secretary speaks with more feeling.

Why was the audience treated to a most kindergarten-like THERE WILL ONLY BE A 7 MINUTE BREAK (to a four-hour show) warning, and then forced to watch the most artless scene-shifting in history? (Lefteri, your Prince of Homburg was pure poetry; where are you in our hour of need?) The intermission occurred 4 minutes before the end of Oedipus at Colonus, provoking another Why? At this point, the only thing we were sure of was that there was not to be any experimental theater going on; so why don’t you just make a nice, classic production of it? Why?

The anti-intellectuals in theater may have a point, after all. (Dear Teacher, all is forgiven.)

My fit of giggles occurred during the lowest point of the performance.  Jocasta (played by Mania Papadimitriou, another revered actress) was dressed as Peter Pan, posing as a two-armed Kali and held aloft by two men on a white saucer (come on, National Theater! Where did all the budget go? On Ismene’s “horse”?) She admonished the quarreling Creon and Oedipus in such a funny, you-silly-silly-boys way that I keeled over with laughter.  Taking deep breaths, i watched, shocked, as she soon hopped off her palanquin, started screeching like a savaged pig, “KAKOTYXE!!” and crawled through the palace “gate” moaning – and only then did they guys holding her realize she wasn’t on her white saucer anymore, and they rushed after her a full 5 minutes after she had begun having contrived hysterics.

These people are all professional actors and directors of quality.  They have acted in and/or directed incredible performances.  Let’s not nitpick anymore.  Therefore, my final query is, Did you know what you were performing in?

What was left of the audience clapped madly, and I even read a blog that actually raved about the show.  Is it me? Us? We bowed our heads and rushed out to drink mass qualities of ouzo, averting our eyes when the performers walked by.  Only a few hours before I had fantasized about introducing myself, and now I couldn’t leave fast enough.

On to perp number 2.

I decide to go to my favorite open-air cinema, drink a Carib and watch the latest in Greek nepotism.  I had heard positive things about Kostantina Voulgari’s Valse Sentimentale, and I have a soft spot for the “alternative” lifestyle of my youth, so I figured in I was in for a pleasant evening.

The whole movie was set in my beloved Exarchia district of Athens, and I cooed at seeing pigtails, Doc Martens, Chartes cafe, Club Decadence, the steps of Kallidromiou Street (fondly, I recalled drinking cheap beer and singing on those steps); I began guessing (correctly) at the other locales that would be used in this ode to the anarchic neighborhood.

The game soon wore off.  If this had been a short, 15 minutes max, it could been a masterpiece.  At two hours, it was almost painful.  Let’s ignore the fact that the camera was held by an epileptic, the acting mediocre, and the lighting non-existent.  (No “wow, what a cool shot!!” here, you were lucky to see anything at all.) We’ll just assume Ms. Voulgari is of the make-your-audience-uncomfortable mentality.  So far, OK, live and let live.  But.

My basic disagreement with this “love story about nothing” is that Stamatis, the love interest, was so obviously an immature, unattractive, self-involved, verging-on-mental-retardation twat.

I don’t think I would have fallen for his line (by line, i mean his mumbling incomplete sentences) had I been 14 and he even remotely appealing.  To see the cute little punk-metal chick aching over this jerk was excruciating to the extreme.  Their conversations were infantile, plebian, and boring. Yet, there was even a gorgeous former girlfriend who practically had a fit when the git left her birthday party.

In a nutshell? This movie is forgivable only if the director’s age is not yet 18. (She’s pushing 30.)   I argued that her own sentimentality was to blame for this movie that had so obviously been in her drawer since junior high.  But, when you consider that her father is a respected, successful director, you realize she could have made this no-budget flick back then.

So, again, we are back to why? Why was this movie made? What was it trying to say?  That there are some women whose self-esteem is so low that they will pin all their hopes on an ugly fucker with the IQ of a cucumber?  That awkwardness and bad sex are cool?  That its ok – nay, nice - to put up with a disturbed “artist” (reaching for my barf bucket here) who can’t sleep in the same bed with you, and sends you on your way after the aforementioned bad sex? (“But I thought we were good,” she snuffles when he dumps her. Why, honey? Why? Are you retarded, too?)  When she picks up the used hanky he has thrown disdainfully on the floor and blows her nose, I wanted to shake her.

Valse Sentimentale is not a love story about nothing, because there was no love involved. Let me rephrase that, if that is love, I hope I never get it.  But that’s the thing.  I have gotten it and I know what its like; in its worst, most suicide-inducing moments it is not like this.

And then, for some reason, they hug and the credits finally roll. And I get Total Recall: The screeching Ismene and our pathetic movie heroine? One and the same.  Loukia Michalopoulou, unlucky girl, make better career decisions or else people will actually come to believe you’re a bad actress.

Fucking Karma.  I must have done something bad again. This must mean something.  I have to figure it out before next Friday’s excursion to Epidaurus; i don’t think I can handle 3 crappy shows in a row.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  A year after the Greek fires halted her performance of Beckett, Fiona Shaw makes an emotional return to Epidaurus. In the first part of this article she talks about her experience in Epidaurus last August, when her performance was cancelled due to the official mourning because of the fires. In the second part, she shares the feelings brought about by the site of the ancient theatre and the performance of Beckett’s “Happy Days” to 6,000 attentive people. The Guardian: In the lap of the gods; Secretariat General of Information: World Media on Greece – Culture and Education

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Epidaurus, a small, ancient Greek city in the Peloponnese is now a UNESCO World Heritage Monument. It was a small, ancient Greek city on an inlet of the Saronic Gulf, northeast Peloponnese. Reputed to be the birthplace of Apollo’s son, Asklepios, the Greek God of Medicine, Epidaurus was known for its sanctuary, as well as its theater with the wonderful acoustics. The Asclepieion at Epidaurus was the most celebrated healing center of the Classical world, the place where ill people went in the hope of being cured. The prosperity brought by the Asklepieion enabled Epidaurus to construct civic monuments such as the huge theater, renowned for its symmetry and beauty, which is used once again for hosting dramatic performances. Athens and Epidaurus Festival establishment  in 1955 placed ancient drama firmly centre stage and ever since, the theatre has been hosting performances every summer.

 →Die Stimme von Maria Callas

Die erotischte Stimme der Operngeschichte. Einmal werde ich mit einem CD-Player ganz allein im Amphitheater von →Epidaurus (lat.) Epidauros oder Epidavros (gr.) stehen, unten, wo die Bühne ist, den Player aufstellen, eine Callas-CD einlegen, →”Casta Diva” wählen, auf “Play” drücken und dann geschwind hinauflaufen in die letzte Reihe und Maria Callas ganz laut hören. Ein Traum? Ich denke, ich kann ihn verwirklichen, genauso, wie ich einmal die 192,28 m im →Stadion von Olympia nackt, nur mit Olivenöl bekleidet, laufen werde. Und sie wird mich bewundern, mir nach dem Lauf ein Glas Wasser überreichen, einen Olivenzweig auf mein Haupt setzen und meine Nacktheit errötend mit ihrem Hemd bedecken.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    What is the Athens Festival? A great celebration that has lasted 52 summers and has hosted some of the leading lights of theatre, music and dance. From Mitropoulos and Callas to Rostropovich, Pavarotti, Leonidas Kavakos and Dimitris Sgouros. From Theodorakis and Hadjidakis to Peter Hall, Noh theatre, Bunraku puppet theatre, and the Peking Opera. From Balanchine to Pina Bausch, and from Nureyev and Fonteyn to Martha Graham and Alicia Alonso.  The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the heart and emblem of the Festival for more than half a century, is no longer its only venue. Two recent additions include Peiraios 260 which, with its two stages and its atrium, was latetly dubbed “the new star of the summer”, and Scholeion which has already become a by-word for its alternative events and workshops. Since 2007, “the Festival is travelling” with the mobile “Caravan Theatre” which takes to the streets in search of all those who cannot attend one of the Festival’s ‘permanent’ theatres. Events are also staged at  the Athens Concert Hall, the Benaki Museum and a number of theatres around the city.

ATHENS SUMMER FEAST 2008

A New Identity

Athens and Epidaurus Festival in its third year under artistic director Giorgos Loukos is the annual summer Athens feast, a “newly self-confident Hellenic Festival” which was attended last summer  by some 227,000 people. The festival runs from June until late August in Athens and in the ancient theatre of Epidaurus.

By reaching out to young audiences and introducing new venues, the Hellenic Festival  has acquired a new pluralism  and a new identity setting its sights on becoming one of Europe’s major festivals. This summer promises to continue the newly established tradition.

Highlights 2008

The programme at the trademark venue, the Herod Atticus Theatre, will start with the Greek National Opera production of Puccini’s opera “Turandot” on June 1, 3, 5 and 7.

The collaboration of local and foreign performers, an initiative that was introduced last summer with Peter Stein’s Epidaurus staging of Electra, continues this year with a choreographed version of Gluck’s opera Orpheus and Eurydice by German choreographer Pina Bausch and the Paris Opera. Poland’s Krzysztof Warlikowski will direct Israeli playwright Hanoch Levi’s Krum, while New York’s Wooster Group will perform Hamlet. Berlin’s Schaubuehne returns this year with two works – Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – directed by the company’s artistic director Thomas Ostermeier. Theseum Ensemble will stage Dimitris Dimitriadis’ “I’m Dying Like a Country,” directed by Michail Marmarinos.

The Epidaurus Festival of Ancient Drama will open with Beckett’s “Happy Days” by National Theatre of Great Britain and Debora Warner (July 4, 5). The programme also features Euripides’ “Orestes” by the National Theatre of Northern Greece, as well as a National Theatre production of Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” and “Oedipus at Colonus.”

Dance highlights will include a tribute to late choreographer Maurice Bejart with Sylvie Guillem and the Tokyo Ballet; an evening of three dance duets with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mats Ek and Anna Laguna; and Dimitris Papaionannou’s Medea.

The festival’s music agenda includes Italian conductor Riccardo Muti, ‘Iran’s Pavarotti’ Shahram Nazeri, Turkish pianist Fazil Say and Savina Yannatou among the festival’s guests. Nana Mouskouri’s concert marking her 50-year-long international career will bring her farewell tour to an end. Stavros Xarchakos and the State Orchestra of Hellenic Music will pay tribute to Manos Hadjidakis.

Online Info

The 2008 Programme is now online at: www.greekfestival.gr

For a brief presentation of the festival’s 2008 Programme: Athens News, Athens Festival Feast (7.3.2008); Kathimerini daily, Successful experiment continues (5.3.2008)

Last year’s festival was described as a vibrant arts experience by the New York Times (“A Withered Greek Summer Festival Bursts Into Bloom,” July 24, 2007).

WONDERFUL ACOUSTICS

Epidaurus, a small, ancient Greek city in the Peloponnese is now a UNESCO World Heritage Monument. Reputed to be the birthplace of Apollo’s son, Asklepios, god of medicine, Epidaurus was known for its sanctuary, and healing centre (Asclepieion), as well as its theatre.

According to recent research findings, the wonderful acoustics for which the theatre of Epidaurus is renowned – a performer standing on the open-air stage can be heard in the back rows almost 60 metres away – may be the result of exploiting complex acoustic physics. Nico Declercq and Cindy Dekeyser of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta say that the key is the arrangement of the stepped rows of seats. This structure is perfectly shaped to act as an acoustic filter, suppressing low-frequency sound – while passing on the high frequencies of performers’ voices.

news@nature.com: Why the Greeks could hear plays from the back row – An ancient theatre filters out low-frequency background; Ministry of Culture: Hellenic World Heritage Monuments

CONTEMPORARY ART

As of this year, the festival opens its doors to contemporary art with an exhibition of works at the Benaki Museum from the Sandretto Re Rebaudengo collection, including pieces by Damien Hirst and Mauricio Catelan.

NEW MEDIA

The Technopolis Arts Complex will host the “Innovative Music, Moving Image and New Media” Synch festival (June 13 to 15). A celebration of sounds and images, Synch is a three-day feast of digital movies, new media and music, focusing on topics such as digital cinema, special effects and animation, and the language of new media.

Athene, stad van de Olympische spelen, de Akropolis en z’n boeiende wisseling van de wacht, staat sinds kort ook in m’n geheugen als smogstad. Ze mogen zeggen wat ze willen van Peking, in Athene was het niet veel beter. Op bepaalde momenten was het zo erg dat je maar enkele kilometers ver kon zien, op plaatsen waar dat er tientallen hoorden te zijn. Niet meteen een overdreven positief beeld om het verhaal mee te starten.

Athene, de stad uit de oudheid, of waar ze ook vandaan mag komen, ligt er heden ten dage afschuwelijk vuil bij, tenzij je mooi binnen de toeristische paadjes blijft. We hadden het geluk dat het net Pasen was toen we er toekwamen. Alles, maar dan ook letterlijk alles was gratis te bezoeken. Meteen €48 euro uitgespaard. Nadeel is natuurlijk dat iedereen wel doorhad dat het volledig gratis was en dat het er dus bijna letterlijk stonk van de toeristen.

De Griekse keuken kon me wel bekoren. Vooral veel kaas, Griekse salades en natuurlijk ook Mousaka. Belangrijk voor de Grieken is dat alles heel snel moet gaan. Het voorgerecht is nog niet half binnengewerkt, of de hoofdschotel komt er al aan. Raar genoeg werd er ons bijna nooit een dessert aangeboden en eens het eten opgediend was, kon het soms heel lang duren vooraleer de rekening op tafel lag. Dan was alles relax.

Athene was niet onze enige bestemming. Na de Griekse hoofdstad bezochten we andere toppers zoals Meteora, Delphi, Nauplion Mykene en Epidaurus. Ik zou mezelf niet zijn, moest ik niet teruggekomen zijn met een geheugenkaartje vol foto’s. Wie zoekt, die vindt ze misschien op mijn Flickr.

1 – Le Parthénon (durée 11:10) http://www.dailymotion.com/yannaki/video/x2veo3_7-merveilles-grece-antique-1-le-par_travel

2 – La cité perdue de l’Atlantide (durée 8:46) http://www.dailymotion.com/yannaki/video/x2vekk_7-merveilles-grece-antique-2-latlan_travel

3 – Olympie, la naissance des J.O (durée 7:25) http://www.dailymotion.com/yannaki/video/x2vcvp_7-merveilles-grece-ant-3-la-naissan_travel

4 – Le colosse de Rhodes (durée 8:36) http://www.dailymotion.com/yannaki/video/x2v9sj_7-merveilles-grece-ant-4-le-colosse_travel

5 – Le théâtre d’Epidaure (durée 7:12) http://www.dailymotion.com/yannaki/video/x2v39d_7-merveilles-grece-antique-5-theatr_travel

6 – L’oracle de Delphes (durée 7:53) http://www.dailymotion.com/yannaki/video/x2tx5v_7-merveilles-grece-antique-6-loracl_travel

7 – Le palais de Cnossos (durée 10:36) http://www.dailymotion.com/yannaki/video/x2t89z_7-merveilles-grece-antique-7-palais_travel