The Gods and the Turquoise Sea

Changing Seasons

Spring has finally arrived in the Alps.  There is still snow on the mountain tops, but the tulips are in full boom in the valley.  What a better time to leave Davos (WHAT?, Leave when it is finally getting warm?).  Yes, leave for a trip to ....Greece!

Greece

A year ago, Ray was invited to speak an an international probiotics conference, which would take place in Athens, Greece in May 2014.  For those of you who don't know, Ray is a research scientist learning about the balance or imbalance of our immune system and probiotics play a huge part in maintaining our 'balance'.  Well, if Ray is going to Greece to speak at a conference, I am tagging along to see the sights!  WooHoo!

A Tale of Many Gods

We think we have history in the US, but when you travel to Europe, you learn how very young we are in the states.  The stories of the Greeks, their temples, the Gods and their ancient lives goes back 2, 500 years.  That is 500 years before Christ.  The Greeks at that time were building huge structures to honor their Gods.  Each God had a purpose and an identity.  Athens is named after the Goddess Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom.  Did you ever wonder why the owl is a symbol of wisdom?  It started in Athens. Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom.  The owl is the bird of Athens.   Get the connection?  The owl is on the Greek Euro.  (Each country that uses the euro puts a symbol of their country on one side of the1-euro coin).

The Acropolis up high from the lower city.

A View from Anywhere

The predominant feature you see in Athens in the Acropolis.  Built on a high flat, rocky mound, the Acropolis contains the remains of a number of ancient buildings: the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike.  

A Temple Fit for a Goddess

To get to the Acropolis, you begin the accent from the floor of Athens, walking upward on a cobblestone pedestrian street.  Up, up, up.  Then you climb stairs toward the entrance of the Acropolis, walking through the entrance temple.  The intention of the entrance temple was to symbolize your transition of being in the 'outside world' and entering the scared.  

Entering the Sacred

As you pass through the entrance temple you see the Parthenon.  

Approaching the Parthenon

Top edge of Parthenon

Left side of Parthenon

The Parthenon, built between 447 and 438 BC (yes, the dates go downward when your counting in BC!) is one of the most breathtaking structures I have ever seen.  See the cranes?  Over the centuries there has been a lot of pillaging and natural destruction of the Parthenon.
In the early 19th century, Lord Elgin the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (at that time, Greece was ruled by the Ottoman Empire), denuded (that means he took the outer facade) of the Parthenon, with the intention of building something with the marble for himself in England.  He stripped the building of the marble pieces and had them shipped to England, when he ran out of money and sold his booty to the British government, who has had them on display in the British Museum in London ever since.  The Greeks have asked for the pieces to be returned and the British said, "no, you have no where to display them except outside, where the atmosphere will continue its natural destruction on the pieces.

In 2009, the Greeks build the Parthenon Museum.  An entire building dedicated to the Parthenon and say they now have a museum in which to put the pieces and still England says: No.

The cranes are there are part of the 2009, cleaning of the structure.  With new technology, there is work being done on the temples to reinforce the columns and cross-beams.

Temple of Zeus

Zeus

Below the Acropolis, in the city is Athens are additional temples.  The Temple of Zeus is twice the height and length of the Parthenon.

Marching Soliders

Guards to the Tomb of the Unknown Solider

The changing of the guard is always fun to watch.  See the uniform.  Each 'skirt' has 440 pleats, one for each year that the Ottoman Empire ruled Greece.

Lots of Symbolism

Notice the pom-poms on the shoes.  May look silly, but each pom-pom hid a knife.  Opposing armies laughed at the funny looking shoes until they were kicked in the face and got a surprise!

Market Street in the Plaka

The Plaka area in Athens is a large maze of street filled with vendors and outdoor cafes.  We had some of the tastiest meals there.

Outdoor Cafes in Athens

Off the Mainland

We spent 3 days in Athens, and then flew to one of the islands, Naxos.  There is where we encountered the most beautiful, turquoise water. 

And the fresh catch of the day?  Well, it was displayed right on the dock, ready for your purchase for dinner!  Amazing.

 

On the island of Naxos is the Portara, what looks like a huge doorway to .....??? who knows.  The Portara is the entrance to the unfinished temple to Apollo.  This huge rectangular structure stands all alone on a small island connected to the mainland of Naxos by a causeway.  When you look at it and stand by it, it feels like a portal to another dimension.  Any maybe it is!

Music and Dancing

While walking around the town of Naxos on Naxos, I saw a poster that told of a jazz concert that evening at 'the castle.'  So, that evening we went to the castle, a real castle build on the highest point of Naxos and sat in a stone theater inside the castle and listened to jazz.

Two nights later there was another concert in the castle.  This time it was traditional Greek Folk music with dancers!

...and all the Greek wine and ouzo you want!

Did I mention the color of the water?  Turquoise, I have never been such beautiful water.  You can see to the bottom of the sea everywhere.   I have been to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands and Hawaii...this water was crystal clear.  You could see the underside of boats in the dock.  Sometimes I would fine myself standing and gazing at the water.
















The city of Naxos is filled with quaint 'streets'.  Cars and trucks fill the dock, but above the city the streets are too narrow for any vehicle, expect maybe a motorcycle. Here you meander through 'lanes' or 'streets' that are lined with flower pots, and have painted white lines around slate stones with shops selling Greek products and trinkets everywhere.  I remember saying, "This is just like Disneyland!"  When I suddenly realize, no, Disneyland is like THIS.  

Hydra and the land of Donkeys

From Naxos, we flew back to Athens and took a 2.5 hour ferry ride to the island of Hydra.  In 1950, Sophia Loren arrived on the little island of Hydra to shoot her first English speaking movie, Boy on a Dolphin.  The amount of cars, trucks, and camera equipment that arrived with the movie set caused the council on Hydra to pass a law forbidding cars!  So since 1950, the mode of transportation is: your feet and donkeys!!

 We stayed in a little hotel right on the dock.  Why?  As our host would say each day as she stood on her small balcony next to ours, with her arms spread wide, "This is a drama theater!"  What was she referring to?  The good drama of life.  Watching the hustle and bustle on the dock.  Boats unloading the provisions of an entire island, people arriving off ferries, donkeys being loaded with anything from a tourist who didn't want to walk to their hotel, to a new washing machine being delivered to a homeowner.

And then the arrival of yachts, each one bigger than the last one! 

Ray and I would spend our days exploring the island, climbing the many stairs to the hilltops for the spectacular views, perusing the adorable shops,













and watching the donkeys carry goods,










stopping for lunch at an outdoor restaurant, and
walking some more.

Then, each afternoon, we would return to our balcony to sit and rest with a glass of wine some cheese and the widest big screen TV for: 'drama theater.'  Time became meaningless as we enjoyed the late afternoon, with cool breezes and all the action on the dock right below us for entertainment.

Saying good-bye to Greece was sad, but we have so many wonderful memories. And new friends!  We met a couple from Athens, who were staying at the same hotel on Hydra.  Our breakfast conversations we lively and filled with topics such as life in Greece, the Greek people and the economic struggles in present day Greece.  They wanted to know about America and especially: The tall skyscrapers in NYC.  They have never been to the states and dream that one day they will travel to NYC and see the skyscrapers!  They wanted to know how the building can be built so high.  There are no tall buildings over 8 or 10 stories in Athens, in fact we haven't seen any buildings anywhere in Europe that in any way resemble the tallness of the buildings in NY.

Greece offers the spectacularness of the Parthenon, a one-story building close to the earth while the USA offers the spectacularness of the skyscrapers, tall buildings that touch the heavens.   Such diversity!

Being able to visit these places while living in Davos has been truly a gift.  Who knows where we will go next?  Stay tuned...

Τα λέμε αργότερα!  (That's Greek for: See you later!  I know, it's Greek to me, too)

Marybeth