I hadn’t expected to visit the Canal of Corinth, Agamemnon’s tomb and Epidaurus on this trip, but Athens was a nightmare. I had arrived in the middle of violent demonstrations against the government’s austerity measures. Roads were closed off which made getting from A to B extremely difficult, even on foot, unless you wanted to risk life and […]
Mycenae, Greece: Ghosts and Legends
I’m standing on the crest of Mycenae’s acropolis hill looking out over the ruined ramparts of the ancient citadel. It’s easy to evoke those long-past times and I let my imagination run wild recalling Homer’s tales and the tragedies of the dramatists, Aeschylus and Euripides. The series of treacheries, improper marriages and acts of vengeance […]
Touring the Peloponnese, Olympia to Mycenae
You can’t travel in Greece without feeling awed by the history that surrounds you. Especially on the Peloponnesian peninsula, where the Olympics games began and the Mycenean culture thrived. On our way to see these ancient sites, John and I encountered quaint mountain villages, vineyards, tucked-away beaches, and friendly people who were happy to raise […]