Mindemoya Log - July, 2005
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Mindemoya Log - July, 2005 August 1 and we are anchored close to the beach hiding from the meltemi so it is a good day to write the log while the captain tears apart the engine in search of the black-smoke gremlin. The past month has been one of culture. At the beginning of July we sailed for Mykonos and arriving off the south coast enjoyed a lunch and a swim including cleaning of the waterline and propeller before heading for the “EU” marina. Such marinas are plentiful in Greece where the EU monies were used to build the structure but the matching Greek funds never added the utilities or bow mooring lines or management. We walked across the road for a cold drink and watched the filming of a segment of E Television Travelogue that is to air at 10 pm August 8. Maybe you’ll see us at the next table. The next day we were up early to catch a bus to town and a ferry to Delos where we tramped around the ruins for 5 hours learning about the most important archeological site in the Cyclades and the mythical birthplace of the twins Apollo and Artemis. In the 8th century BC a festival in honor of Apollo was established there and the oldest shrine remains are from that era. Delos was important politically and economically thus the many splendid homes of the wealthy. We enjoyed the striking mosaics which are still exquisite art works. The Sanctuary of Apollo contained the temples dedicated to him and the much-photographed Terrace of the Lions. The actual marble beasts are in the site museum but the plaster copies on the terrace are impressive. We allowed all the culture to blend with a day of boat chores. Paula and Sara washed laundry while Randy and Doug carried water 60 liters a trip from half a kilometer away. We rewarded ourselves with showers and wandering and dining in Mykonos town. After a 4-hour rock ‘n roll sail we anchored off Naxos town beneath the unfinished Temple of Apollo, Naxos’ most famous landmark. The next day we enjoyed a day visiting the island by scooter. We found the Temple to Demeter, a beautifully manicured hillside site with its informative museum and then the village of Halki, where a distillery still distills kitron the old-fashioned way. The citron looks like a large, lumpy lemon and we found the liquor to taste the same but it is a Greek specialty. We urged our scooters over the mountains to make the steep slog by foot to the cave of Zeus. Suppose we should have worn hiking boots instead of sandals?! Back over the mountains to see an ancient marble quarry where two kouros, nude male statues, were abandoned in 7th century BC as not-good-enough. Back on board we enjoyed sundowners and dinner before showers and bed. Decision Day: Paula and Randy wanted to visit Santorini. If Mindemoya sailed that far south, she would have a difficult time returning to Athens against the strong meltemi winds. Compromise: they would go by ferry and we would sail to Athens and meet there to spend their last day visiting the Acropolis together. Sadly we waved them off as we felt our time together had been short but we looked forward to seeing them in 5 days. Mindemoya sailed off the next day to make day hops to Athens. First night found us anchored all alone in a little bay on the southeast of Kithnos. Second night we discovered cruising friends on the northwest of Kithnos and stayed there. Third night we anchored under the Temple of Poseidon with more cruising friends. Fourth night we moored in Zea Marina, a huge marina southeast of the great harbor of Piraeus. We stayed here 12 days soaking up Athens and surrounding area as well as doing much-needed boat chores and re-provisioning. Indeed we did spend a day exploring the Acropolis with Paula and Randy. We began on the southwest slopes at the Theater of Dionysos where only 20 rows remain of the original 64 which seated 17,000. The stage was roped off so Sara had to sing from behind stage. We walked past the Asclepion which is being rebuilt, past the stoa, and on to the Theater of Herodes Atticus, completely rebuilt for use of the Hellenic Festival summer performances. Then up, up to the Acropolis, the most important ancient monument in the Western world, and through the towering entrance and along the way to the Parthenon, symbol of the glory of ancient Greece. It is magnificent as the largest Doric temple ever completed in Greece even with much of it under scaffolding. On past the Erechtheion, the most sacred sanctuary with its southern portico help up by the 6 Caryatids. Then to the museum to see the actual Caryatids behind glass and the finest kora (maiden) statues. It was late afternoon but we pressed on and walked the Panathenaic Way to the Ancient Agora with its rebuilt Stoa of Attalos and the Temple of Hephaestus. Exhausted from walking in the sun, we stopped for refreshing cold drinks before we shopped and ended our day with a lovely dinner under the lighted Acropolis. At the subway station we shared our final hugs and Paula and Randy left for the airport and we for the marina. We have so much enjoyed all our guests this summer. It is so nice to be able to share the experiencesof cruising and cultural sites with friends. The next 10 days allowed us to see many of the sites of Athens including: Temple of Olympian Zeus, the largest in Greece, Arch of Hadrian, which divided the ancient city from the Roman city, Roman Agora with its Tower of Winds, built in 1st century BC by a Syrian astronomer, an octagonal monument , each side representing a point ofof the compass with a relief depicting the wind of that point Keramikos, the city cemetery from 12th century BC to Roman times National Archeological Museum, fabulous collection of Mycenaean antiquitiesincluding incredible gold, Minoan frescos, wonderful collection of sculpture,and a pottery collection from beginning to Attica black-figured pottery National Art Gallery, disappointingly small but the special exhibit, A Retrospective of Lucas Samaras, a Greek-American, made up for it Contemporary Art Museum, moved and no one could help us find it And many sites outside Athens including: Delphi, perhaps the fairest of all the ancient sites in Greece with its powerful and peaceful spirit. This World Heritage-listed site was built on the slopes of Mt. Parnassos overlooking the valley and the Gulf of Corinth, an inspiring site. We walked the sacred way hand in hand as this was Doug’s original choice for our wedding. He selected a shaded site overlooking the remains of the Temple of Apollo. We walked the entire site including the stadium at the top which is the best preserved in Greece and includes the stone starting blocks. The magnificent museum is filled with the treasures from the site including the famous bronze charioteer. And Meteora, an amazing area in central Greece with monasteries perched atop massive pinnacles of smooth rock. We decided walking was the best way to see these so we left the car and walked to the base of St. Nicholas monastery. After hundreds of steps we found the frescos well-preserved and interesting. Back down to the road we found an unmarked path and climbed up, up to the highest and richest and largest, the Monastery of Metamorphosis. Graphic frescos showed the persecution of the saints, terrifying but well-preserved. Here we felt the most commercialism and the most tourist buses. From here we walked the road to Varlaam Monastery, with the biggest wine barrel, and on to the Monastery of Rousanou, now a nunnery. As the afternoon was waning and we were tired, we hitched a ride with a Belarus family on holiday back to our car. The last monastery we visited was the most austere and probably the most beautiful. There was no gift shop or museum but a small, serene chapel. Outside a set of bells and metal pieces could be played for all the valley to hear. The next morning we walked to Roka, phallus rock, and past it into the next valley via a shortcut, we thought. Turned into an unmarked path and then no path. We did it all - climbed down trees, swung from Doug’s belt, climbed up through a narrow rock crevasse, slipped down gravel paths to a rock-laid path. Once again in her life, Sara followed the old mountain goat wherever he led. And he never got her into something he couldn’t get her out of again. Thankfully. With boat chores and provisioning, shopping and cleaning completed we paid our marina bill, 36 euros a day plus water and electricity, and headed south across the Saronic Gulf toward the Peloponnese. We selected a quiet little bay on the west side of Angistri Island and anchored for the evening. It was a nice place to clean the waterline and the propeller and rudder and keel after the growth of a marina. We went to bed early. Good thing as the wind changed to westerly and piped up to Force 4 about midnight. As the seas and winds increased we turned around and were dangerously close to rocky sides and a shallow beach. With great skill Doug managed to keep the boat from hitting anything as the wind and waves made her hobbyhorse around while Sara in the bow was lifting the anchor.