Knossos in Crete: Discovering the Minoan Culture “Let me tell you about the first time I visited Knossos,” my friend Jack says. We are sitting at a fish taverna by the famous Venetian Harbor of Iraklion, Crete. My friend, Dr. Jack Dempsey, is an expert on the Minoan culture and has written several books and …
Exploring Three Castles in South Wales + Castles you can stay in Wales Caerphilly Castle Every year I visit my late father’s home in Caerphilly in the South of Wales. I grew up hearing stories about Caerphilly and my dad’s experiences from the age of fourteen working in the mines. The stories he told that …
Paxos Island: Tips to Plan Your Visit to Paxos Greece I had always wanted to visit Paxos, also known as Paxi, a tiny hideaway island a few nautical miles off the south of Corfu Known as the romantic hideaway of the god Poseidon, it’s the smallest of the Ionian islands. As I was planning a …
Dora Stratou Dance Company in Athens I am sitting in a quiet wooded park area at the foot of Philoppaou Hill near the Acropolis in Athens Greece. It’s a warm September evening and the air is fragrant with pine. Overhead the night sky is littered with stars. On a stage in front of the tiers …
Rescuing the Cats of Athens They haunt the ancient temples of the Acropolis like lean ghosts. They scavenge through piles of plastic garbage bags in the narrow streets of the Plaka. Their tormented yowls and chilling screams are the night music of suburban alleys. They are the cats of Athens. It is impossible to estimate …
Dancing in the Temple of the Arts in Athens Isadora Duncan On a high hillside in the Athens municipality of Byronos stands a Mycenaean stone building that once was the home of the flamboyant dancer, Isadora Duncan. It’s a steep climb up the hill, but the view from the top is worth the effort, with …
An Inspiring Day at The Achilleion in Corfu, Greece I’m standing in a beautiful courtyard overlooking a panoramic view of flowering gardens, a green forested hillside, and far below, the sparkling blue Ionian Sea. Surrounding me stand the Muses: all nine of them. I’m next to Erato, the Muse of poetry. Beside her, Terpsichore holds …
My first view of Malaga was from the hillside home of my friends. As I looked out over that wide sweep of city rooftops nestled between the amphitheatre of the surrounding hills, and with the shimmering blue Mediterranean Sea lapping on the sandy shoreline, it was a magical moment for me. I could hardly wait to explore …
There couldn’t be any place more off the beaten track than Greece’s Salamina Island when it comes to finding archaeological sites. Nothing is properly marked on maps so one must be an explorer and detective to find these unique well-hidden locations. Although it’s just off-shore from the Greek mainland, the island doesn’t encourage tourism so …
The first competition held at Olympia, Greece was nothing to do with going for the gold. In fact, it was a chariot race that would determine who would win the hand of a beautiful princess, and inherit her father’s kingdom. King Oionomaos of Elis, had a daughter who he loved very much, so he challenged each …