Thimaras Traditional Residences Spetses

Hi everybody,

As you all know, we are back in the states! I haven't had time to finish writing the last three blog entries but I will as soon as I am able. I just wanted to let you guys know so you can check back over the next few days.

I hope everyone is excited to read about Athens because that was our last city and it was epic. Check back soon!

-Michelle

One of our day trips from Nafplio was to Epidavros. This is a small town that is home to the world's best-preserved ancient Greek theater and an ancient healing sanctuary.

The theater was built in the 4th century B.C. and has 56 rows of limestone seats that can seat up to 15,000 people. It’s especially famous for its amazing acoustics. You can stand on a small, circular piece of stone in ...

Cycled into the ancient theater of Epidavros - heralded to be the best preserved of the ancient world, and I believe it could be true.

Immense in size it can seat 14 000 people, and it’s still used today. Built into the surrounding hillside, it’s extremely stable and it shows. Barely any decay even though it was made in the 3rd century BC. Incredible to see how perfect the ...

... On the way up, the view was amazing and ever-changing (but really hot and tiring). Every few stairs and winds the view would slowly change, bringing on a new angle to the town and water below. When we got to the top we were surprised at how much bigger the fortress is on the inside compared to how big it looks from the outside. We spent a long time wandering around the inside. We climbed up to the lookout points, saw the prison cells ...

... either. He found a pen belonging to an archaeologist (his name was engraved on it), and a living ancients monument: a tortoise!

For the late afternoon, we clambered up to the top of the rocks for a commanding view of the surrounding water and watched the sun set while drinking really bad Retsina. Interesting enough to try, but has quite a kick. Not recommended for climbing down the rocks in the dark…

999 steps up the wall, 999 steps
If you should slip and happen to fall
They’ll be no more climbing on steps up the wall

One thing that makes me laugh touring some of these ancient sights is the total LACK of concern about safety. Old chipped rock steps which are far to narrow and steep with no handrail to speak of. Single straight flights of 30-40 steps (while the limit in Canada is 12 spaced with landings). Watched this poor man ...

... the beach in hours, taking all the sand and adding a layer of flotsam. Never mind, we'll put it all back next year.


We're also moving accommodation as the staff blocks are being turned into guest blocks - some staff took the opportunity to assist with the demolition by throwing their doors off the balconies, very Greek style!And so now we're savouring carpets, heating, UK creature comforts and a huge ...

... rooting through the workshop doing the stocktake so have been a bit anonymous this week, have to remember to tell the guests that I'm staff as some of them are wondering who it is who is helping them rig, launch and land.Only 8 weeks to resort close, yet again it has flown by. Lots of our staff will be leaving soon as bookings are, er, rather less once the schools go back,so that will be different again. We've already said we're up for season four..

... nuns, who gestured for us to enter, gave us a laminated sheet with an English description of the monastery's history and offered us a plate of those powdered-sugar treats that we know as "Turkish delight." They were absolutely delicious -- the best I've ever tasted. Entering the dark church, it took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust, but when they did, I was amazed and enthralled by the paintings covering the walls of the interior. Exquisite artistry rendered religious ...

... no safeguarding of it in anyway, but we didn't, go figure. After our exploring, we started the trek back down to the bottom which was 939 steps, incase anyone was wanting to know those specifics! It was nice because there were very few people there since we arrived there early in the morning, so it was kind of like we had the place to ourselves. After our time was up, we drove to Mycenae to visit what remains of the Cyclopean Walls, the Lionesses' Gate, the Mycenaean Palace and the ...