999 Steps Up the Wall

The Venetian Fortress towers over Nafplion, another reminder of the time the area was under their rule. Its thick wall provided protection from invaders but these days the gates are open and the invaders come in the form of tourists.

                   Stairway to the fortress

There are two ways to get to the fortress:  by vehicle or on foot. On foot means a climb up 999 stairs that zig-zag up the face of the cliff that I have pictured at the start of this post.  Yes, we walked. 999 up and 999 down. . .and that just got us to the fortress, then we climbed more steps and ramps that criss-cross the interior and lead to jaw-dropping views. Tourist information varied, one place said 850 stairs and others said 999 - I counted. The bigger number is correct.

We did it with several 'breathing stops' on the way up. People who suffer vertigo might not want to make the climb, but then they shouldn't be going to the fortress if they don't like heights.. I have to be truthful and add that we both had wobbly knees by the time we returned to the roadway at the base of the cliff.

Each time we do something like this we comment that it is 'pretty good for people our ages'.  That brag was tempered by a man we met heading up as we were heading down.  The elderly white-haired man (much older than us) was dressed in slacks, dress shirt, sweater vest, jacket and used a cane.  "Bon Jour, Madam" he called out to me as I passed.

A Room with a View

             Syntagmatos Square from our room

Sometimes, we've decided, it is simply luck. 

No amount of research can turn up a hotel as perfect as one that you simply happen upon.  Such is the case with our 'room with a view' in Nafplion. 

After finally getting a rental car (thanks to our new friend, Dimitri on Poros, who managed to rouse Pops  Rental Car across the channel when no one else could) we set out in our small Renault on the coastal route, then heading inland for a bit and arriving about 6 pm in the  port town of Nafplion (also called Nafplio and Nafplia).

We had had mixed reviews of Nafplion prior to our arrival:  a German couple told us to skip it, they were so disappointed; yet, the tourist brochure said it was a 'fairy land'.  We are voting for the latter now that we've been here a day - in fact ,we plan to stay here a few days longer.

This city, once the capital of Greece, was under Venetian rule many centuries ago.  The old city, where we are staying, has such a heavy Italian influence that its easy to forget you are in Greece - as evidenced by the town square we overlook. Bouganvillas drape the small cobbled side roads that lead to the main square we overlook..

We happened upon the Hotel Athina on the corner of Syntagmatos Square and inquired about availability - although with its location we expected the rate to be astronomical. . .wrong. They offered a room with breakfast for 50E a night and as we climbed the stairs (no elevator here) Joel asked if any rooms might look out on the square. 

Not only do we have a room with a view - but two views, one balcony looks directly over the square and the other looks back on the Venetian fortress (more on that soon).  Yes, the price is 50E a night. 

And I am heading out to the balcony soon to sip some Greek white wine that we bought today at the farmers market for 2E a liter from the little lady who makes it.  Yes, sometimes, it is simply luck.

Off to the Peloponnese

   Spetses harbor with the storm approaching

After a downpour on Monday that kept us an extra day in Spetses, our day today dawned bright and sunny and we are off to the Peloponnese, mainland Greece -- we think anyway.

We will backtrack to the island of Poros, hop the ferry across the channel and hopefully find a car rental that is open on the other side and if not hop the local bus with our intended destination being Nafplion.  I am adding intended because we are winging it this portion of the trip. . .the ferry we planned to take this morning was cancelled due to weather and "Pops Car Rental" doesn't answer the phone.

We've learned to be flexible on our travels - we will go where we go today and I'll write from there when we get there.

Rain-soaked, sun-drenched Saronic Islands

                             Sea and sky blend somedays

We set out after our cruise for Aegina, (aye-ena) the closest of the Saronic Islands to Pireaus on a day so gray that the sky and the sea merged into a bleak panorama and arrived at its charming harbor town under threatening skies.  The skies cleared and we spent two nights in a charming 200 year old mansion converted to hotel some 25 years ago.

We chose Spetses island for our next destination - about two hours from Aegina by slow ferry and we set out on a day as gloriously spectacular as our previous trip had been gray.  And we have fallen under the charms of this place and will spend our fourth night here tonight before setting out to explore the mainland.

Saturday afternoon we explored the island on foot - 9.5 miles later -- we had crested its highest peak and  walked among olive groves and pine forests.  This is the island where author John Fowles lived and worked when he wrote his epic, The Magus.

We have had sun and blue skies and last night a storm moved in that lit the skies with lightening strikes, thunder boomed and rain came down in sheets.  Today the rain continues.  I sit in the lobby of the one hotel still open that has internet access -- the only woman in the lobby, by the way and certainly the only one with a computer -- awaiting Joel who has visited the local barber.

We are staying in a charming hotel for 35E per night - having been convinced by the owner, Petros, when we stepped off the ferry that it was a great place.  He was right - we hope to return someday.

Of Beys and Beyans

We had four stops in Turkey: Kusadesi, Istanbul, and then on the Black Sea coast we visited Trabzon and Sinop.  We thoroughly enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells that signaled we were visiting places far from home.  The call to prayer that echoed at regular intervals, the spices, the colors, the people. . .we agree that it would be fun to return to each of these places and spend more time (especially Istanbul) than a cruise stop permits.

                              Istanbul

We don't know Turkish though - unlike with Greek words, where we know enough to at least be polite in greeting - so in Turkey we were limited to polite smiles, head nodding, gestures and in some cases, total gaffes.  And I must admit, I was the worst offender:

When visiting mosques all must remove their shoes before entering, all are to be appropriately dressed (no bare arms, shorts or inappropriate clothing) and women must wear head scarves. 

While in Trabzon we decided to visit an impressive mosque in the heart of the bazaar area. 
We both removed our shoes. 
Joel entered the mosque while I stayed outside wrapping a scarf around my head.
An elderly Turkish man spoke to me and gestured upwards.  I followed the gesture and admired the ceiling.
He repeated the statement and gesture.
I looked again and turned to him, bowing slightly and said, "Beautiful, simply beautiful." (in English) and then followed Joel into the mosque.
We sat side by side and admired the interior.

As we walked out to my total mortification I realized what the elderly man had told me when I saw a woman heading upstairs to the women's section, clearly marked "Beyan" with an arrow pointing up the stairs.

We've learned two Turkish words this trip: bey (men) and beyan (women); and they won't soon be forgotten.

Bye to a Bleak and Blustery Black Sea

            Sea and sky were the same color

We sailed out of the Black Sea on Tuesday, arriving in Piraeus sometime in the early hours of the morning Oct. 13th, Greek time.  Our cruise went far more rapidly than the calendar indicates; it doesn't seem that 12 days have passed since we were beginning the adventure to new ports of the world.

Our cruise provided many adventures, wonderful discoveries and more history than one can absorb in a single trip: we visited the lands and sailed the same seas that centuries ago were home to Romans, the Ottomans, Jason and his Argonauts, just to name a few.

The bit of history we weren't prepared for was discovering a bit of my history as we made our way to Russia.

"Excuse me. . ." a lady called out while I studied the various food choices on the Lido deck one lunchtime.  As I turned, she continued, "but, are you from Washington?. . .You are Jackie aren't you!?"

She was a bit grayer in the hair and used a cane to steady herself (a bad knee), but I recognized her instantanously:  the mother of one of my best high school buddies!  It was at their Italian home in the central Washington town where I grew up, that I first ate real homemade spaghetti, it was with her daughter I celebrated my Sweet 16th. 

She and her husband were on the cruise celebrating their 58th anniversary and my good buddy - whom I hadn't seen in decades - was with them.  We renewed a friendship and shared history stories - ours - that kept us all amused and entertained during the dark and dreary days.

Gray Skies over the Black Sea

The Black Sea is living up to its name: it is a dark - and today - very dreary sea.  We've had heavy clouds and last night a heavy rain as we crossed this body of water en route to Sochi, Russia. I write this from the ship anchored just off the Russian coast.

We didn't clear the wait-list for the shore tour - in fact, it turns out we weren't on the wait list after all - so we will 'see' Russia from a distance.  The authorities are strict here: you are either on a tour or you hold a Russian Visa, we don't qualify on either account so will take photos (and add to the blog later) of the shore and the two ships that seem to be 'guarding' us as tour groups tender to the shore.

The cruise continues to provide some fascinating stops and tomorrow we will be back in the land of passports and shore passes.  Today will be spent watching the deep dark waters and sky that surround us.

Having one HAL of a cruise!

We write from İstanbul.  Sitting in an İnternet cafe usiıng a Turkish keyboard. Cruise has been great so far. We have zig-zagged across the Aegean with stops ın Kusadesi, gateway to the land of St. Paul and then back to Volos, Greece where Jason rounded up his Argonauts and set out to find the Golden Fleece.  From there to Thessoloniki. Greece where the father of Alexander the Great is burıed.  We have had a great look at history. 

Will add photos and more detail when we are back to the land of the wireless computer.