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A 23-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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    October 29, 2021
    skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Kruja Fortress

    October 28, 2021 in Albania ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    This is the fortress atop the ridge above Kruja (see another post) that dates to the 5th or 6th century. The Albanian hero, Sanderbeu, used this fortress as the heart of his rebellion against the Ottoman empire in the 15th century. They survived 3 massive sieges by the Ottomans, and the castle didn't fall until 10 years after Sanderbeu's death.
    The 2nd picture looks up the road to the main gate that is the tunnel is in the 2nd picture.
    The 3rd picture is the minaret and ruins of the Ottoman era mosque dedicated to Mehmed, the sultan who finally took the fortress. The 4th picture looks down the tunnel of another gate to the fortress. The 5th picture looks under a recent arch to the original walls. The arch supports the access to the old church that is still being refurbished after a recent earthquake. The last picture looks up through some of the new plantings to the rugged mountains behind the castle.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Kruja, Albania

    October 28, 2021 in Albania ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Kruja is a northern Albanian town that dates to at least Illyrian times. Beginning in the 12th century, Kruja was the capital of the 1st Albanian kingdom, and remain do until taken by the Venetians. There was a brief period when Kruja was recaptured during the rebellion led by Sanderbeu (see Leshë post) and held against 3 Venetian sieges. It fell after his death.
    The 1st picture looks across the way to the hillside town withe the fortress at the top. The 2nd looks more closely up to the fortress (see another post). The 3rd picture is a statue of Sanderbeu.
    The final 3 pictures are various views of the town bazaar for which Kruja is known    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Ηγουμενίτσα

    October 30, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    In case you didn't be recognize the Greek alphabet, YES, I'm in Greece!
    In the Latin alphabet, the town is Igoumenitsa. This is the main port in northwestern Greece and one of the largest passenger ports in the country. Ferries connect the mainland with Corfu and the Ionian islands as well as Italy.
    The old city was pretty well destroyed during world war 2. So the town now is what has grown up around the ferry terminal.
    The 1st picture is taken from the ferry terminal, looking along the coast of the bay of Igoumenitsa. The rest are taken on board the ferry Hagia Theodora.
    The 2nd picture looks back at Igoumetsina. The 3rd looks along the shore south of the bay. The 4th is a long look at the islands. The 5th looks north between the mainland to the right and in the distance and Corfu (see additional posts) on the left. The last picture is as we approached Corfu town.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Corfu, New Fortress

    October 30, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Following the 1st Ottoman siege of Corfu, the Venetians recognized that the city had expanded outside of the walls of the old fort leaving it unprotected. So they began construction of the new fort at the other end of town. The main, major fortifications are Venetian, but most of the current structures were built by the British.
    The 1st picture looks up the road that approaches a castle gate. This looks to me like a protected supply route from the harbor to the castle to allow resupply by sea.
    The 2nd picture looks down the curving tunnel/gate into the fortress. The 3rd picture is in the lower part of the fortress and shows a building from the Venetian times. The 4th picture is the access ramp up to the upper, main part of the fortress. The 5th picture is of the main building at the top level, and the 6th picture is a glance inside the building as it wasn't open.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Corfu old town

    October 30, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    References to Corfu date back to 1300 BCE, but much of what is here now is from the Venetian era. After the Venetians, the French and the British took control, and there are buildings from each period. The old city saw significant damage during world war 2. Most of that is either repaired or replaced. Corfu is unusual on that there is an old strong fortress at each end of town (see other posts).
    The 1st picture looks over the old town from the ramparts of the new fortress. The rest of the pictures are various looks at diferent parts of the old town. It is the largest such place I've seen yet.
    The 5th picture is a shopping street up from the main square. Visible is the spire of St. Spirion church, dedicated to the patron saint of Corfu. The last picture is s museum built by the British. It has an oriental focus.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Corfu, Old Fortress

    October 30, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The old fortress occupies the promontory st the end of the peninsula that protects the harbor of Corfu. The earliest known fortification of the site dates to the 6th century, but what is here now is mostly Venetian with some additions by the British. In medieval times, Corfu town was located inside these walls.
    The fortress is on multiple levels. The 1st picture looks up to the upper bastion. The 2nd picture shows a corner of the fortress walls, the sea moat built by the Venetian engineers, and at the far right is the modern bridge accessing the fort that replaced the original drawbridge. The 3rd picture is inside the fortress and shows St. George's church at the lower right and the Venetian lighthouse in the upper left.
    The 4th picture looks along the back of St. George's to the outer part of the upper bastion. The 5th picture is a low yard between the walls that might have served as a killing box if invaders ever got that far.
    The last picture looks down on top of what I'm told was part of the old Venetian jail.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Angelokastro, Corfu

    October 31, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Castel Sant'Angelo is a Byzantine and Venetian fortress built on the highest point of land in northwest Corfu. It sits 305 meters above the Ionian Sea atop steep cliffs. While the ruins are Byzantine and (mostly) Venetian, there is evidence that the site was fortified long before. The last 2 pictures are in a tomb within the fortress that holds evidence of Christian burials dated to the 4th - 7th centuries. The 5th and 6th pictures show burial slabs with paintings above and icons added over the years.
    The 1st picture looks up to the walls from most of the way up the steep path. The 2nd picture is taken at the lowest level inside the fortress and looks across the inside of the fortress. The gate is visible in the lower right. The 3rd picture is another section of the ruins of the fortress, this time at the mid level. Again, the gate is visible. The 4th picture is taken from the very top of the fortress. It shows some of the highest level and looks out to the Ionian Sea.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Palaiokastritsa Monastery

    October 31, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    This monastery, located on a hill above the beach at Palaiokastritsa, is dedicated to Mary and dates to the early 13th century. (The current buildings are 18th century.) The bay (shown in the Corfu's west coast post) is said to be a place where Odysseus set sail. I can even imagine Greek ships passing between the tall, large rocks just off shore.
    Back to the monastery. The monastery is built on 2 levels. The 1st picture is of the entry gate with the icon of Mary above. The 2nd picture is looking across the upper courtyard to the bell tower. The 3rd picture is the monastery garden located right outside the monastery church which is shown in the 4th picture. Monks were reading while we there. Look closely to the far left side. The last 2 pictures are in the lower level which is formed by a series of stone arches. That's the 5th picture. Under each arch is a different icon, one of which is show in the last picture.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Corfu's West Coast

    October 31, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Perhaps I could have been more specific. These photos are of the northwest region of Corfu around the Angelkastro (see another post). The photos are random and, I hope, give a sense of the place. Corfu has the reputation of being a beautiful place. It is richly deserved.
    The pictures are a mix of coastal landforms, beaches and mountain villages,all facing the Ionian Sea.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Dodona

    November 1, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Dodona is the site of the oldest oracle in Greece, probably dating back to at least the 2nd millennium BCE. It is thought that a settlement may have existed here as far back as 3,000 BCE, possibly making the oracular site even older.
    It is said the priests and priestesses served at a sacred oak* at this site, interpreting sounds in the trees as messages from the Mother Goddess, likely Gaia, up until about the 5th century BCE when Zeus worship began with Zeus taking residence among the roots of the sacred oak. The Mother Goddess was renamed Dione and became the consort of Zeus.
    Buildings didn't begin to appear until the end of the 5th century BCE. The pictures are all taken if the ruins at the large and extensive site.
    The 1st picture is of the single largest structure, the amphitheater. There is currently some restoration work in progress. The 2nd picture looks at the old Christian basilica, dating to the 5th or 6th century CE. The 3rd picture looks from the basilica back over ruins of older temples toward the civic buildings at the site as this was an administrative center as well as a religious site. The 4th picture is of civic buildings.
    The 5th picture is looking at the teme if Zeus with an oak tree within it's walls. It is said that the original temple was built around the ancient sacred oak. The 6th picture is the temple if Heracles. Part of the basilica was built over this temple.

    *The notion that a sacred oak was the center of their religion has me wondering if there might be some ancient connection to the druids with their sacred oak groves.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Meteora

    November 1, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Here are 3 views of the rock formations above the town of Kalabaka on top of which are 24 monasteries were built. Only 6 remain. (See additional posts.) They are on top of high and steep cliffs as much as 550 meters above the town.
    Caves in the cliffs were occupied as far back as 50,000 BCE, but it isn't until the 9th century CE that there is any record of monks taking up residence. The monasteries were not started until the 14th century when monks needed protection from Turkish invaders.
    I'll visit 4 monasteries: St. Nikolaos and Roussanou today in the rain and clouds; Meteoron and Holy Trinity tomorrow in the sunshine.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    St. Nikolaos of Anapafsas, Meteora

    November 2, 2021 in Greece ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    St. Nicholas dates to the 14th century and is the 1st monastery encountered when entering Meteora. As travelers, pilgrims, etc. began reaching the area, they would rest here. Anapafsas translates to resting.
    The building is located on top of a small rock. So the whole thing is vertical, one room on top of another reached by internal stairs.
    The 1st picture looks across at the monastery while the 2nd looks a bit closer from the access path. The 3rd picture is the top mechanism of the "elevator." Until recently, these monasteries we're not reachable on foot. All things and people were lifted by rope in a mesh or basket.
    The 4th picture is a small side chapel. The 5th and 6th pictures are in the church. Unfortunately, they are dark since I wasn't supposed to take them. I hope you can see some of the incredible detail and beauty in the Orthodox tradition.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Roussanou Monastery, Meteora

    November 2, 2021 in Greece ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Roussanou dates to the 16th century (and possibly to the 14th) and is probably named for the 1st hermit monk to settle at the site. This place is still called a monastery for historical reasons, but today it is a convent.
    The current buildings are said to be built on older ruins of what appears to be a church. The monastery is informally known as St Barbara's as her remains are here.
    The 1st picture looks at the buildings upon their rock. The 2nd I call balcony in the clouds. The 3rd picture is a large meeting room adjacent to the church where no photos were permitted.
    The 4th picture is in that great room and is an artist's map of the monasteries of Meteora. The 5th picture is in the same room, and I call it icon with incense.
    The last picture is a look over the side to lower buildings and a bit of the mountain when the clouds lifted a bit.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Varlaam Monastery

    November 2, 2021 in Greece ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Here is another 14th century monastery named after the 1st hermit to settle the site, but the monastery as it exists today dates mostly to the 16th century. It sites stop the rock almost 400 meters straight up. This is the 2nd largest monastery at Meteora and perhaps the best known.
    The 1st picture looks up the rock to the monastery from the modern access that includes a bridge and winding stairs up the face of the rock. The 2nd picture is in the main courtyard atop the cliffs. The 3rd picture is taken from the same spot but in the opposite direction, looking at the garden at the entrance to the narthex and church.
    The 4th picture is my best attempt to approach the edge to give a sense of the precipitous cliff.
    The 5th picture is the large narthex outside the extraordinarily decorated church where no pictures were allowed.
    The last is in the museum, down 2 levels from the church. This is the old refectory. The museum houses many artifacts from the monastery, including a significant collection of important manuscripts.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Meteora in the sun

    November 3, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Yesterday's visit was in rain and clouds with all the mystery that can add to photographs. Today is bright sun which gives a whole different perspective to the region.
    As I noted elsewhere, there are 6 active monasteries at Meteora. I visited 5 of the 6. The 6th one is the 1st picture and is Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest of them all. It is dedicated to the Transfiguration and was started in the early 14th century. Unfortunately, they choose to close several days a week after 1 November.
    The rest of the pictures are of the Meteora area. The 3rd picture has Great Meteoron at the top center, Varlaam slightly lower and to the right and St. Nikolai's in the lower left. The 4th picture has St. Barbara to the left and St. Nikolaos to the right.
    The 5th picture is the same 3 monasteries as in the 3td picture. You can just see Great Meteoron peeking around the rock at the top center.
    The 6th picture looks out from the top of the rocks over the valley.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Holy Trinity Monastery, Meteora

    November 3, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Activity on top of this 400 meter high rock dates to the 11th century with building beginning in the 14th century. If any of this looks familiar, Holy Trinity is most photogenic. It has been in a number of movies, perhaps best known in the Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only.
    The 1st picture looks through the gate after climbing the external stairs up the rock to a stone spiral staircase. Before the stairs were cut into the rock, access was 1st by a manually operated winch in the 2nd picture, followed by a cable car across the chasm in the 3rd picture. There is an ancient fresco at the left side of the 2nd picture alongside the balcony.
    Upon entering up that stone spiral staircase, you reach an undercroft that is modern and houses icons like the one in the 5th picture. The last picture is of an icon of the Holy Trinity to whom the monastery is dedicated. I saw this image in enough places to suggest that it might be specifically symbolic of this place.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    St Stephen Monastery, Meteora

    November 3, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    This is the other monastery that is now a convent. It was first inhabited by ascetic monks in the 12th century. Building the monastery began in the 14th century and continued through the 16th and reaching it's final, current form and n the 19th century.
    This site is the most easily reached of all the Meteora monasteries. It is at the southern edge of the many monasteries and is at an elevation similar to the nearby. So it can be reached by crossing a short bridge instead of climbing stairs. Much of the place is reconstructed as it was heavily damaged during world war 2 and the Greek civil war. It remained abandoned until 1961 when the sisters began to move in and restore the buildings.
    The 1st picture looks across to the monastery. Unfortunately, it's taken into the sun so it's hard to see. The 2nd picture is in the first courtyard after entering. The 3rd is of the cloister. The 4th and 5th pictures are of the extensive gardens maintained by the sisters overlooking the cliffs.
    The last picture is over the door at the entrance to the church which is the subject if another post.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    St Stephen Church

    November 3, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    This is the church in the Monastery of the same name. I may have broken the rules when I took this video, but there was no sign prohibiting photography. An announcement was made later. I decided to risk posting it anyway as I have written about the artwork in these churches. I hope this might inspire some to come to visit.Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Thermopylae

    November 4, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Does the place name ring any bells? How about Leonidas, the Spartan king who died here after holding off the Persian army for a couple days? This is the place of that famous battle of the 300 vs. thousands in Xerxes' army.
    The 1st picture is from the low ground looking up into the pass. Actually, the ground is as much as 20 meters higher than it was then. So the actual battle space is mostly buried.
    The 2nd picture is the the monument to Leonidas next to the new interpretive center.
    The 3rd picture is of Kolonos Hill where it thought the remainder of the Greeks retreated for their last stand after Leonidas was killed. Here they were surrounded and killed by Persian archers. The 5th picture is the monument atop Kolonos Hill attributed to Simonides that reads "O stranger, tell the Spartans that we lie here, obedient to their words."
    During the Greek retreat, Xerxes tore down part of a protecting wall (Phocian Wall). I'm guessing that the modern wall is about where that wall was located. At least it serves as a reminder.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Hosios Loukas Monastery

    November 4, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Esteemed Saint Loukas Monastery named for a local saint (not the evangelist) who first settled in this spot in the 10th century. He was known for prophecy and healing miracles. He began to have followers who grew in number to the point he retreated to the current site.
    After his death, his followers placed him in a tomb and over time, the monastery began and grew. The original building in the 10th century is the church dedicated to the Theotokis (Panagira). It was built over the tomb.
    This is one of 3 Byzantine monasteries in Greece recognized by UNESCO for their importance in Byzantine architecture and decoration.
    The 1st picture is of the central courtyard. The 2nd build is the remains of their old olive press. Olives we're crushed in the vat at the far end then pressed above the circular trench which collected the oil into the recepticle.
    The 3rd picture has some ancient frescoes.
    The 4th picture looks at the Byzantine architecture that became a model for later churches. The 11th century church is in the center, and the 10th century church is to the right. The 5th picture is taken in the 10th century parallelogram-shaped church. The last picture is in the larger 11th century church which contains frescoes and mosaics reminiscent of Hagia Sophia.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Delphi

    November 5, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This is the place on the southwest slope of Mount Parnassus where the most famous oracle of the classical period (the Pythia) prophesied to the ancient Greeks and even into the Roman period. Unfortunately, I didn't don't get any special insights as today was the Pythia's day off. 🤔
    This site as a religious center goes back to at least the pre-classical times of the 14th century BCE when the god worshipped here was likely Ge or Gaia. It was in about the 8th century BCE that the site was rededicated, this time to Apollo.
    The main religious building here is a large temple of Apollo where the Pythia prophesied. The 1st picture looks down on Apollo's temple. (That's all temple: from the columns at the left all the way across.)
    The 2nd looks down the sacred way. Note that the pavers are original as is the retaining wall to the right. In the background is a building with columns. This is the Treasury of Athens. The were many of these. Most every town had one. This is where gifts and spoils of war were stored to honor Apollo.
    The Greeks considered Delphi to be the center of the world. The conical stone in the 4rd picture is called the omphalos or navel. It is said Zeus dropped it here marking the center.
    The 4th picture is the theater and the 5th picture is of the stadium. It is in these 2 places that the Pythian games took place every 4 years: music and drama in the theater; sports in the stadium.
    The last picture is of a stoa at the Roman forum on the site, attesting to the importance of the oracle into Roman times.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Museum of Delphi

    November 5, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    This is an archaeological museum housing finds from Delphi dating from the Mycenaean period to the early Byzantine.
    The 1st picture is of the twins, the Kouroi of Delphi, known as Cleobis and Boron, crafted at Argos around the end of the 6th century BCE.
    The 2nd picture is the Sphinx of Naxos. It originally sat upon a column. It is far larger than I anticipated.
    The 3rd picture is a bronze votive shield dating to the 7th or 8th century BCE.
    The 4th picture is a classic period Greek urn. The 5th picture is of a portion of the pediment decoration of one of the treasuries to show the exquisite carving.
    The last is a picture of a model showing what the site probably looked like.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Galaxidi

    November 5, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Galaxidi is a town on the Gulf of Itea off the Gulf of Corinth. It has a natural double harbor. It is close enough to Athens to be a popular place to get away. It is also said to have been an important shipbuilding center for the ancient Greeks and where their fleets were returned for repair, especially war damage.
    The 1st 3 pictures are views of the 2 harbors as they are today.
    The 4th picture is a typical street, this one leading up to the church and square in the 5th picture.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    Hagios Spyridon Monastery

    November 6, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    The is a relatively new monastery not much on the tourism radar. It is just a short drive from Nafpaktos.
    The 1st picture is just inside the gate looking toward one of the 2 churches inside the walls here. The 2nd picture is the entry courtyard beyond the the 1st picture. 3rd and 4th pictures are in the nave of each of the churches. There is a garden and orchard here, a portion of which is shown in the 5th picture. One feature I hadn't seen before this but have since is an aviary for constant birdsong in the garden. That is the last picture.Read more

  • skip's retirement travelGreeceskip's retirement travel

    St. Nektarios and St Fanourios Monastery

    November 6, 2021 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    This is another young monastery, this time built from m scratch by a community of nuns who now number about 20.
    The 1st 2 pictures are of the church and main building. While beautiful, these are not the surprising aspect of this place.
    Upon entering trough the gate, you proceed down stairs to a sign marked catacombs. Turn left, and enter through a door. Then follow a winding corridor as if in the catacombs of Rome. I'm told this is a faithful reconstruction of a section of the actual catacombs of Rome. The walk through the catacombs ends in the reception room of the convent. The last 4 pictures were taken at various points in the catacombs. I hope these give a good sense of this.    Read more

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