THE LAND OF ATHENA

By Roberta Mark Engel

Have you ever been to the land of Athena? Come join us on our tour to Athena. We begin the tour at your luxurious Grande

 Bretagne Hotel. From your balcony, you can see The Changing of the Guard which takes place in front of the Parliament. It is

 quite a unique show! Fifty two National Guardsmen (in white uniforms) accompanied by a marching band, walk down the

 street. From the identical vantage point you can view the Changing of the Guard which is in front of the Unknown Soldier's

 monument. This is a wonderful event to witness on Sundays! I have seen this event countless times. The King George Palace

also stands across from the Parliament. This hotel can be seen with a similar vantage point, but the Grande Bretagne Hotel is a

 bit more regal in appearance. In addition, the national gardens are across the street at the Syntagma Square which is where

 Athenians take a walk and relax during the summer days.

    

The real estate areas of these properties are called Herodou Atticou which is the most expensive in Athens. Impressive views of

 the Acropolis will be seen on top of a beautiful hill with the city of Athens as a backdrop. Do you enjoy taking photos? This is

 definitely the spot. Let us go to the entrance of the Acropolis and tour the Parthenon (constitutes a masterpiece of architecture

 that is renowned worldwide), and the Temple of Athens Nike, and other fascinating and historic sites on the "Sacred Rock"

 overlooking the city of Athens. Did you know that the Acropolis was for many centuries the most important religious centre of

 the city of Athens? The archeological sites are universal symbols connected with the birth of democracy. And did you also

 know that Athens received its name because of Athena who as become the goddess of wisdom and peace in ancient times?

 Obviously there is much to see and ponder about in Athens, especially The New Acropolis Museum is housed on the grounds

 of the Acropolis and is one of the best museums in the world. This new museum is set in a characteristic neoclassical building. It

 contains recently a refurbished collection of ancient Greek art and artifacts including more details about the goddess of Athena.

 This is a must see! You will be amazed at these antiquities. 

                     

We also won't let you miss the other sites: The Dionysus Theatre, the Stills of Olympian Zeus, the Roman Agora, the Greek

 Agora and the Keramikos. The Museum of Cycladic art and The Benaki Museum and the National Archaeological Museum

 are also quite significant. How about the Kallimarmaro Stadium? It was originally made out of marble. The Marathon runners of

 the 2004 Olympics ended their journeys in this stadium. Can you imagine what it would be like to sit in the stands of this

 stadium? Let's go in and sit!        

In addition, did you know that there is a monument across from the Hilton Hotel? Another important monument we will see is

 the Marathon man which is made of fiber glass and is located across from the hotel. The "Marathon Man" was built in

 dedication to the Greek soldier Philidippides who in 490 BC ran from the town of Marathon to Athens (about 26 miles) to

 announce that the Persians had been defeated. He shouted "Nenikikamen" which means "We won" in ancient Greek and then

 he collapsed of exhaustion and died.

After visiting the above venues, we will visit Lycabettus Hill, passing through the Kolani Square which is in the Soho area of

 Athens. Athenians gather in this square to have Greek coffee and chat in the nearby cafes. It also has some of the best shopping

 stores of known fashion designers. The drive up Lycabettus Hill is the tallest hill in Athens. It reaches 277 meters and on its

 peak lays a small white Greek Orthodox Church of St. George which was built in 1852. Near the Greek Orthodox Church

 stands the St. George Lycabettus is another luxury property. This is another photo opportunity! We then head to the Plaka area

 where you can spend more time shopping and eating. According to a recent theory, the Plaka owes its name to the large stone

 slab found in the area of the Church of St. Alexandria. Plus, the best eatery is on the top of a hill, called the Csarda Taverna.

After spending some more time in the Plaka, we travel to the outskirts of Athens towards Cape Sounion along the coastline of

 Athens. Before reaching Cape Sounion, we will stop at Lake Vouliagmeni which stands at 40 centimeter in elevation and its

 water maintains a constant 2.4 degrees year-round Celsius temperature. Due to the healing properties in the water, the

 Athenians swim here all year round.

Cape Sounion has the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon which was built in 444 BC. The view from the temple is spectacular. I

 never tire of the views. Here you will be able to enjoy the most beautiful sunset. There is a lovely taverna called Akrogiali in

 Palea Phokea on the way to the cape where we can enjoy lunch or dinner over-looking the blue waters of the Saronic Gulf. The

 five star Recital Cape Sounion Hotel is located in one of the world's most celebrated archeological sites. This is another one of

 our most traveled Luxury Greece tours. After seeing Cape Sounion, you will return again and again as we do!

GUN AYDEN.  NASEL SEN BEGUN

By Roberta Mark Engel

Gun ayden. Nasel sen bugun? Check guzel and navaked deunajayik? These are common phrases used in

 Turkey. Good morning. How are you today? This is beautiful and when are we coming back?   Welcome to your

 edification. I wanted to share our first vacation to Turkey and Greece with you in order to provide you with the

 knowledge across the continents.   You will understand why we made a return visit to Turkey including

 Ephesus. You will also soon realize why Greece is our second homeland!

We found that the Turkish people are proud of their country and extremely hospitable. Part of our travelogue includes the

 famous Blue Mosque. This massive structure is officially called the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet. It is decorated with 20,000

 shimmering blue Iznik tiles interspersed with 260 stained-glassed windows with an arabesque pattern are painted on the ceiling. 

Bursa is the fifth largest city of Turkey. Bursa was once the capital of the Ottomans before they captured Istanbul. The

 Ottomans captured Bursa in 1325.   Turkey also became a secular state in the 1920's. The Green Mosque is among one of the

 finest mosques in Turkey. The prayer niche (mihrab) towers appear almost fifty feet high. Bursa's bazaar has hundreds of shops

 specializing in silk and textile products. The workmanship of these products is amazing.

In contrast to the United States and Great Britain, most workers in Turkey make an average of $400 a month. If you are very

 important (work in the computer field or work for the government) the salaries are approximately $1,000 per month.   Teachers

 are also paid a similar salary and possess three or more years of a college education. The Turkish people generally live in small

 apartments, which house all family members until the children marry. The Turkish people have such little monetary wealth. But,

 their riches travel further.          

Our travels now take us to Greece. Kalimera to you (good morning). On this trip to Greece, we have discovered Nafplio,

 Corinth, Myceneae and Epidaurus, which are part of the Peloponnese. Nafplio with its marble pavements, looming castles and

 remarkably homogenous architecture is the most elegant town in Greece. It is a product of the second Venetian occupation

 (1686-1715). From 1829 until 1834, the town was the first capital of liberated Greece. The city of ancient Corinth grew up on

 the northern slopes of the hill of Akrokorinthos, which acted as the fortified citadel of the ancient and medieval cities. Mycenae's

 nobles were entombed in the Treasury of Atreus where Agamemnon is buried. Epidaurus is noted for its magnificent theatre,

 dedicated to the healing god of Asklepios. The theatre is known for its near perfect acoustics and is still used today. This trip to

 Greece was absolutely amazing. 

If you have a yen to leave your communities, take a vacation similar to ours! It will broaden your horizons. Both countries have

 all of the top hotel chains. The food is excellent and the people are quite friendly. Where can you go wrong?  We didn't.

 

UP AND AWAY

By Roberta Mark Engel

Have you flown on an airplane recently? The security lines are longer.  We are interrogated, searched and told to

 undress. Liquids have to be packed inside our checked in luggage or else they are confiscated. Any toiletries to be carried on

 the airplane must fit in a four ounce Ziploc bag. We are exhausted before we set foot on a plane.

There are similarities and differences between procedures for domestic and international air travel at US metropolitan airports.

  Before we go "Up, Up, and Away", we will provide you with information about the ticket counter, x-ray area, and the

 departure gate.

The Ticket Counter is the beginning of our trip where we show our identification and e-ticket.   We need to adhere to the

 individual carrier's baggage requirements which are up to 50 pounds per bag for domestic and international flights. In addition,

 the piece or pieces of luggage needs to be unlocked. Quite a number of the domestic airlines charge for luggage placed in the

 baggage compartment of the plane.   In addition, each individual airline has its own rules governing your luggage. Arrival time

 recommendations vary by airline and day of travel, so check with your carrier.  Remember to give yourself adequate time to

 check your baggage and move through security.

The X-Ray area is our second information check point where we are either instructed to bring our luggage to an x-ray counter

 and watch it go through the x-ray process.  Hand luggage and personal items are x-rayed. Most carriers permit one piece of

 hand luggage and one personal item such as a laptop. Film should go in your carry-on bag. Do you have a gift to carry? Please

 do not take it wrapped.  If a security officer needs to inspect a package, he or she may have to un-wrap our gift.  If there are

 any specific questions, we need to contact the individual airline carrier.

We are also asked to remove our shoes, coat, suit jacket and purse and place them in one or more bins provided at the station

 and then put them through the x-ray machine for inspection.  We need to try to pack our coats and jackets in your checked

 baggage when possible. We could wear slip-on shoes. This will allow us to take them off and put them back on quickly.  We

 also need to remove all animals from their carrying cases and send the cases through the X-ray machine. We need to hold our

 pet in our arms and proceed through the metal detector.  Infants and children need to be removed from baby carriers and

 strollers and take them through the metal detector with you.  Strollers and baby carriers go through the X-ray machine with your

 bags.  If possible, collapse your stroller before you get to the metal detector.  

We may also be asked to remove jewelry and coins, depending on the sensitivity of the scanning equipment. We are also

 required to remove our laptop from its case and lay it flat in one of the bins. We will may also have to be searched by a metal

 detector receive a possible pat down inspection. Items that might set off an alarm on the metal detector include:

• Keys, loose change, cell phones, pagers, and personal data assistants (PDAs) or smart phones
• Heavy jewelry (including pins, necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, earrings, body piercings, cuff links, lanyards or bolo
•  ties)
• Clothing with metal buttons, snaps or studs
• Metal hair barrettes or other hair decoration
• Belt buckles
• Under-wire bras
• Head coverings and religious garments are acceptable during the screening process. You may be directed to additional screening if your headwear or clothing (religious or otherwise) is loose fitting or large enough to hide prohibited items.

There are additional TSA requirements to follow called "3-1-1" requirement which means the following: It stands for 3 ounces or

 less in a one quart-sized clear zip-lock bag. One bag per passenger is placed in the screening tray. The definition is the

 following: a 3.4 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in

 screening bin which limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.   Obviously, this is a security measure. Each time TSA

 searches a carry-on it slows down the line.  

We need to declare larger liquids. Medications, baby formula and food, and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities

 exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. We also need to declare these items for inspection at the

 checkpoint.   Heavy travel volumes and the enhanced security process may mean longer lines at security checkpoints.  

Departure Gate identification and boarding passes are still necessary for all flights. A passport for international flights or a

 drivers' license for domestic flights is required in addition to your boarding pass.  

Once we arrive to our European destination, passports are rarely checked if we remain in the terminal for other European

 locales. Planes don't always drive up to the gate; we may be required to take the assigned bus transportation to our gate. The

 decision is dependent on available parking spaces at the hanger. Our luggage is checked through to our final destination. If we

are taking another flight, we will go through hand luggage security and then show our passport before taking our flight. But, here

 is the caveat for international travel: Did you know that meals served on all international (non-American airlines) flights are hot

 and complimentary inclusive of all liquor?  In addition, most international airlines have individual, integrated entertainment seen

 on a TV monitor.  

I am led to each checkpoint with friendly personnel at the Los Angeles International Airport, but, I noticed that there is no

 consistency with the rules and regulations for each carrier. In addition, safety enforcements increase or decrease depending on

 our security status. I have noticed, though that the international airports have less security especially while traveling within the

 European community (EU).  

Hopefully, travel information will now be more comprehensible. "Up, Up, and Away" should have provided you with information

 about the ticket counter, x-ray area, and the departure gate.

IF I COULD TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

By Roberta Mark Engel

Do sheep, ducks or tractors cross your path?  Does a mule stand in front of your house so he can graze on the heather?  Do you

 purchase your fruit and vegetables at a local stand instead of a supermarket?  Do eat your meals on your verandah while visiting

 with your neighbors?  Does your friend pick up your mail from the caffineo where he meets the post man for a cigarette and

 Siparo after the afternoon mail deliveries?  Time stands still for those of us who live on the Peloponnese Peninsula in Greece.

The main business occupation is fishing for the two hundred inhabitants in our village.  Our chief form of entertainment is getting

 together with friends and visiting on our verandahs.  Our Shangri-La is such a quaint, serene and picturesque setting.  Did you

 know that organic fruit stands are quite plentiful here in the region of Arcadia?  In addition, quite a few of our neighbors grow

 vegetables and have fruit trees in their gardens.   We even have one tangerine and two orange trees.  Generally, these organic

 fruits are available for the picking.

We have one main road into or out of our village which leads to Naphlio or to Astros in the reverse direction with no street

 addresses along the way.  Even though, the post man amazingly knows who to deliver the mail to. Unfortunately, DSL does not

 exist in our village as of yet.  We purchased two services so we log on at speeds up to one hundred and twenty eight mgs which

 is still quite slow in comparison to DSL.  Even though fifty residents placed an application for DSL, we have not established a

 need for high speed internet.  Most of our residents catch fish during the day.  Time marches on, but not for us!  On the other

 hand, the populace is friendly, helpful, and interested in our well being. 

We don't have chain restaurants here like Mc Donald's.  Best of all, we own the recipe for happiness.  We walk to the beach

 and stare at the sea and sense the presence of calm.  Our water is crystal clear.  And at night, we can focus our attention on the

 multitude of stars.  Some of the evening activities center around the cafineo.  Say Kalispera to our post man when you see him

 there.  If you are in the area, come by and sit on our verandah or say Yiasas as you pass by.

And what does our other home in California, USA have in comparison?  We have Magic Mountain Amusement Park, a Town

 Center with upscale stores restaurants, and movie theatres.  We also have freeways, stop lights, photo enforced traffic lights,

 and one hundred and eighty thousand inhabitants.  We are smaller in size than our surrounding cities, but we have DSL, cable,

 satellite TV, digital telephone, analogue telephone and multiple cell phone services.  It is all very impersonal and austere in

 comparison to our small fishing village in Greece.

The only people who know us by name is our banker.  But, everyone is very friendly as you pass by.  But, few people sit

 outside during the day.  During the summer, our temperatures can reach up to 47 Celsius.  Our main business occupation is the

 film industry.  Did you know that most American movies and television shows are filmed near our house?  We are on the fast

 track. 

We shop at Whole Foods market which specializes in organic products.  We do not have family owned specialty stores, but we

 have shopping malls.  The famous Beverly Hills is 64 kilometers away.  We have street addresses, apartments and houses in the

 multitudes.  But, where is our beach?  The ocean water is thirty fifty kilometers away. It is green, salty, sandy and dirty;

 complete with stringent no parking laws.  For the most part, smoking is nonexistent in California.  It is something that is done in

 bars and is taboo for the general public.

As for animals; occasionally horses and dogs will leave their mark.  We have leash and animal enforced clean up laws which

 carry huge fines.  The majority of dogs live in a house with their adult companions.  They are regularly walked and attended to.

We enjoy living on two continents.  Until the time we become full time inhabitants in Greece, we will only be part time residents

 in the land of "If I could turn back the hands of Time."  I look forward to that day when Greece becomes our full-time dwelling!

A PLACE FOR ALL SEASONS 

By Roberta Mark Engel

Did you know that originally the Peloponnese Peninsula was once an island in Greece, but geological conditions in the region

 united and later separated it from the mainland? Why did my husband and I choose to live on the Peloponnese Peninsula?

 Come join me and find out how we acquired our villa and what the surroundings are like. Why is the Peloponnese a place for all

 seasons?

Our dream of visiting Greece came to fruition in December of 1999, when we vacationed to Athens. This was my first trip to

 Greece which developed into a love affair with the country and its inhabitants. In January of 2002, we decided to move to

 Greece after seeing Cape Sounion, the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. We gleefully returned from the United States year after

 year.

We wanted to purchase property in close proximity to scenic Naphlio on the Peloponnese Peninsula with its Mediterranean

 climate. Did you know that Peloponnese means the island (nissos) of Pelops? Pelops was a mythological hero who was the

 mortal son of the god Zeus. The mythical cities and towns of the region were also important centers in antiquity.

During the fall of 2005, we visited 15 properties on the western coast of the Argolic Gulf, close proximity to Naphlio. We

 purchased our first vacation villa in December 2005 in the area of the western coast of the Argolic Gulf, in the region of

 Arcadia. The Zavitsa Mountains and the serenity of the sea made this an idyllic locale. Even though the coastline was rugged, it

 was bejeweled with deserted beaches and crystal blue waters. We acquired a brand new, modern, semi-detached house with

 two bedrooms and two bathrooms. This purchase taught me so much about the Greek people, their wonderful culture, attitude

 and hospitality. The magnificent sea views and fresh air have not helped me to improve my knowledge of Greek. But, it has

 made studying an amazing proposition. We are 54 kilometers west of Tripoli. We are approximately 50 kilometers from

 Corinth. We are near Epidaurus which is southeast of Naphlio. Apollo rises on the Peloponnese. Tranquility reigns. In the late

 afternoon: Ouzo, small seafood and feta, feet in the water and enjoying life. It is marvelous to see people swim in our azure seas

 even through mid December.

We come to Greece often. We dream about the serene waters and the mountainous countryside which is "A place for all

 seasons." I hope you enjoyed your visit to Arcadia, a gateway to Mycanea, Tripoli, Olympia; and Epidaurus.

NAPHLIO AND THE HERO OF THE TROJAN WAR

By Roberta Mark Engel

How is the hero of the Trojan War related to the Peloponnese Peninsula? Is the Peloponnesus locale an island or is it part of the

 mainland? Why is the coastline of this region so special? Since there is so much to see along the way, we will begin our tour in

 Athens. Bring your camera and tour Corinth, Nemea and its beautiful vineyards, Also; visit Mycenae, Epidaurus, Argos, and my

 personal favorite, Naphlion with us.

Look, we can see a ship going through the isthmus of the Corinth Canal. If we are lucky, we can also get a glimpse of lowering

 the bridge into the water as the ships pass through. Did you know that St. Paul was put on trial by the Romans in Corinth? The

 Roman Baths are visible in Ancient Corinth plus there is a museum, in the temple of Apollo (where St. Paul preached to the

 Corinthians in 52 B.C). Corinth was influenced by Roman architecture.

Did you know that the Peloponnese region grows some of the best olives and grapes in Greece? Our next stop is in Ancient

 Nemea which is surrounded with vineyards. Do your want some wine? Follow me. It is also where the ancient Nemean Games

 were held. The city also has ancient fortifications for the viewing.

Continuing through a big forest of orange trees, we will reach Mycenae. The ancient city of Mycenae was discovered by

 Heinrich Schliemann in 1870. We will see the Tholotos tomb of Agamemnon and then we head toward his palace where we

 will see the Cyclopean walls the Lions Gate, the tomb of Clytemnistra and the museum.

Further east is Epidaurus near the Sardonic Gulf. It hosts many orange fields and olive trees. It also boasts about the ancient

 theater which was built in 4 B.C. and is known for its great acoustic sound. The theatre is used today by Greek actors who

 perform various ancient Greek plays. I actually heard an oratory by one of the patrons. It was impressive. The Sanctuary of

 Asklipeious and the beautiful museum are also well worth the viewing.

Argos is the city of Ancient Greece, in the Northeast section of the Peloponnese Peninsula which is three miles inland from the

 Gulf of Argos, near modern Naphlion. It was occupied from the early Bronze Age and is mentioned in Homer's Iliad. Argos

 houses the Heraeum temple, six miles (9.7 km) north of Argos, was the principal center for the worship of the Goddess Hera

. The Ancient Theater is another site in Argos. Argos has produced important sculptors, including Polyetus.

My favorite city is Naphlio, which is "the old Venetian town" was re-built by the Venetians in the 16th century and was the first

 capital of Greece. It is one of the finest cities in Greece and was the capital of the country in 1829. Because of the strength of

 the fort that sits above the bay, this town became an important strategic and commercial center to the Byzantines around the

 sixth century AD. The Franks controlled the city for 200 years and then sold it in 1470. That same year, they built a fort on the

 small island in the center of the harbor called the Bourtzi. The Venetians continued the fortification of the upper town and

 completed their work later that year. The new additions to the city surround the Church of Saint George which is a beautiful

 Venetian church. When the Peloponessos falls to the Venetians, Naphlio becomes the capital. Unfortunately, the Turks take

 control of the city, destroy and loot it. They even kill almost all of its defenders. Naphlio became the center of activities which

 would result in the formation of Modern Greece. In 1823, it becomes the capital of the state which is then recognized as a

 world power in 1827. In 1862, there is a rebellion in Naphlio against the monarchy. Then, the capital is moved to Athens which

 makes the city of Naphlio less important, but it continues to attract visitors daily.

Palamidi in Naphlio is one of the best castles in Greece. It was named after Nafphlios, son of Poseidon, and home of Palamidis,

 their local hero of the Trojan War. He also was the inventor of weights and measures, lighthouses, and the first Greek alphabet.

 Palamidi was built on the hillside. It is six hundred years old and offers a breathtaking view of Nafplio ad the Argolic gulf.

Naphlio is also a wonderful place to stop for lunch and to shop for souvenirs. The old town boasts the best tavernas and night

 life. See, Naphlio is not just a tourist area. As you can read, it is steeped in history. Therefore, the best way to enjoy it is to

 spend a couple of nights here. My top two hotel choices are the Grande Bretagne, and the Afitrion, both in Naphlion. The best

 eateries are Souvours and Elatos. They are in front of the harbor.

We hope you enjoyed your tour of "Naphlio, and the Hero of the Trojan War". We also hope you relished learning about

 Corinth, Nemea, Mycanea, Argos, Epidauros, and Naphlio. We look forward to sharing our next tour with you!

 

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

By Roberta Mark Engel

Are you interested in a more in depth tour of Arkadia?  Come join us for a “Walk on the Wild Side” of the most picturesque

 mountain villages in Arkadia.   As an added bonus, we will tour Athens, Tripoli, and Olympia.   Sit back, get your camera

 ready.   We will look, walk, talk, take pictures, and eat!

   

We will see the Acropolis, the New Acropolis Museum, Lycabettus Hill, Philopapus Hill, the Presidential Palace, the Plaka,

 National Archeological Museum, and the Benaki Museum.   The new Acropolis Museum is one of the most acclaimed

 museums in the world.  After seeing the Acropolis, we will go and see the National Kalimarmaro Stadium that was originally

 built in 330 BC is made out of marble and is the only existing marble stadium in the world today. The Marathon of the 2004

 Olympics ended in this stadium.  Of course, while touring, we will see some monuments such as the Academy, the University

 and our National Library. Another important monument we will see is the “Marathon man” which is made of fiber glass and is

 located across from the Hilton hotel. It was built in dedication to the Greek soldier Phidippides who in 490 BC ran from the

 town of Marathon to Athens (about 26 miles) to announce that the Persians had been defeated. He shouted “nenikikamen!”

 which means “We won!” in ancient Greek and collapsed of exhaustion and died.   Continuing our tour, we will see the changing

 of the guards which takes place in front of the Presidential Palace. This is also one of the most expensive real estate areas in

 Athens (Herodou Atticou).  Across from the Greek Parliament is the National Gardens where Athenians take a walk and relax

 during hot summer days.   In front of the Presidential Palace  is a unique show with fifty-two national guards (in their white

 uniforms) every Sunday and accompanied by a band (once a month on a Sunday),  march down the street for a Change of the

 Guard Ceremony which ends in front of the Unknown Soldier monument. This is a wonderful event to witness!  Spend

 Saturday evening at the Grande Bretagne Hotel in a deluxe room and view across the street to the Presidential Palace on a

 Sunday morning.  Shoot a video as you will hear the band quite well.  This is the Soho area of Athens. The Athenians gather in

 Kolonaki Square to have Greek coffee and chat at the cafes nearby. Here you will see the real Greek culture.  Kolonaki also

 has some of the best shopping stores of known fashion designers. We drive up through the narrow streets of Kolonaki to

 Lycabettus hill which is the tallest hill in Athens (its height reaches 277meters).  We then head to the Plaka area which owes its

 name to a large stone slab found in the area of the church of St. George of Alexandria.  We will have a wonderful lunch and

 then, we will head towards Tripoli. 

   

Did you know that Tripoli is a large, metropolitan city of about 15, 000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in

 Greece?  It is the capital of Arcadia.   It was founded in the 14^th century by settlers from Albania.  It then became the seat of

 the Parsha of the Morea (ruler of Turkey).  It was captured by Kolokotrinis in 1821, but it was eventually destroyed by Ibrahim

 Pasha in 1828. Trípoli is in the center of the surrounding agricultural region.  Must seas are the sanctuary of Alea Athena and

 the Tegea Archaeological Museum.  The temple is dated back the first half of the 4^th century B.C.

   

The Archeological Museum of Tegea is newer construction from the 20^th century.  Professor Konstantinos Romaios was the

 first curator of the museum.  The museum collections include early antiquities (sculptures, inscriptions, clay and metal artifacts,

 and architectural parts).  We will spend one night at the Mainalon Resort Hotel which has been newly renovated.   We also

 recommend the Cellar restaurant is located in the Kendriki Platia which is called Agios Vasilios. The restaurant has a street

 level.  You must walk down into the restaurant level where the food is displayed and you order what is in season.

... More >  

The following day, we begin our tour of the mountain villages which includes Agios Petros, Doliana, Vasta, Megalopoli,

 Koutroufa, Sitaina, Platanos, Kastanitsa, Lagadia, Kerasia, Tsakonia, Demitsana and Stemnitsa.

   

We will purchase cheese, at the local cheese store called Agiopetriko in Agios Petros.  Agios Petros is mainly visited by pilgrims

 going to the Holy Monastery of Malevi.  It has approximately 1, 000 inhabitants.  In the village, there is a hotel, tavernas with

 local specialties, general stores, bakeries and delicious local sweets.  Agios Petros is at an altitude of 900 m.  It belongs to the

Municipality of Northern Kinouria and it is 37 kilometers from Tripoli.

We will stop for lunch at Doliana at Peorgios.   Doliana is a distance of 26 kilometers from Tripoli with an elevation of 920 meters.  It is known since antiquity, but also later, because it produced marble of excellent quality.    Doliana defeated the Turks on May 18, 1821. 

Then, we will experience the tale of St. Theodora.  You will enjoy this experience also!  St. Theodora lived during the tenth

 century on the Peloponnesus in Greece, near the border between the regions of Messenia and Arcadia in a town called Vasta.

 When the area was raided by bandits, Theodora was determined to help defend her village, but, women were not permitted to

 do so.  Even though, it was prohibited, Theodora secretly disguised herself as a male soldier in order to join the defense.

  Ultimately, Theodora did not survive. But, as she lay dying she uttered the following words:   "Let my body become a church,

 my hair a forest of trees, and my blood a spring to water them."  The villagers were moved by her bravery and her untimely

 death, so they built a church at the site of her grave. A local river was re-routed to pass directly under the church. Eventually

, trees sprouted from the roof of the church.  I noticed that the roots of were not visible under the roof nor outside the church as

 they have not been visible for hundreds of years.   In addition, this chapel (St. Theodora in Vasta) supports 17 large trees that

 emerge from the roof and the walls of the chapel.  Each tree weighs close to a ton and stands over 20 meters high. Locals could

 not find a scientific explanation for this church. Many researchers have spent years studying this structure, even x-raying the

 walls, but have no explanation for the roots of the trees.   This In 2003, a geophysical report was presented at the 4th

 Symposium of Archaeometry in Greece. The results of this investigation proved that the roots followed the gaps existing inside

 the stone wall of the chapel.  It created repulsion stresses between the stones on the ground.  This caused a spring to come out

 from underneath the chapel.

Did you know that Megalopoli is a town on the western part of Arkadia?  It was founded in 371 BC.  It is 30 kilometers from

 Tripoli.  In Byzantine and Ottoman times, the city was known as Sinanou until the 19^th century.  It was the first urbanization in

 the primative Arkadia.   It has quite an upscale caffineo which will be great for afternoon relaxation.

Then, we will drive to Sitaina which has an ancient Byzantine Church.  Platanos is southeast of Tripoli, 71 kilometers away.

  Platanos is built on the slopes of Mount Pamon and is surrounded by fir, chestnut, pine and plane trees.  It is a settlement with

 narrow stone-paved streets, whitewashed houses.   We will have chestnuts and tea in a caffineou in Kastanitsa which is a

 complete mountain settlement and is at an elevation of 840 meters.  The famous feast if the “Feast of the Chestnut” is held every

 year in the last week of October.  Kastanitsa has wonderful quaint hotels.  Lunch is in the oldest village of Tsakonia dating back

 from 1293 A.D.  The cobblestone alleys are mixed with the very tall stone towers and the other castle-like houses.  At the

 center of the village is the church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior which is magnificent as it was built 250 years ago!

  Around the village you can count 20 chapels. Most in the main town were recently renovated or new.  I am sure that you will

 enjoy the evening also.  You will wake up to beautiful mountain air as we did. 

Then, our “Walk on the Wild Side” continues with Lagadia which is an elevation of 960 meters and on the road from Tripoli to

 Olympia; we saw the most picturesque principal village or town of Arcadia.  Lagadia is also surrounded by fur trees and the

 traditional stone-built homes are perched on the slopes of the mountains.  The stone houses with two-four stories were

 creations of the renowned Lagadian master workers.  One of the greatest sites besides the Deligiannis House is the

 Metropolitan Church of Taxiahes. 

Kerasia is to the right of Tripoli.  It is a lovely village which is part of the municipality of Skyritida.   

The return trip was through sister villages of Demitsana and Stemnitsa.  From Tripoli to Pygros and after Kambeas, we meet the

 settlement of Karkalos, then we turn right, and after 8 kilometers, we enter Demitsana.  We take a tour of the two statues and

 houses of Patriarch Gregory V and Germanos, Bishop of Patra and the Ecclesiastical Museum, the library, and the folk life

 collection.  We then see Stemnitsa which is the seat of the Municipality of Trikolana.  It houses five hundred inhabitants, but it

 can reach 1000-2000 inhabitants during the summer months.   It was chosen as the headquarters of the first Senate of the

 Peloponnese. Traffic is quite heavy, even during the off times.   

To continue with our “Walk on the Wild Side,” will be Olympia. We travel to the west of the Peloponnese towards Ancient

 Olympia.  When night falls, we will sleep at a very nice hotel in Ancient Olympia. The next day, we will visit the village of

 ancient Olympia where we will see the ancient stadium, the temple of Hera, the Palaestra, Phidias’ workshop, the Philippaeum,

 the Temple of Zeus, the Leonideum, and the Roman Baths.  Did you know that the sanctuary of Olympia is in a lush region

 irrigated by two rivers, the Alpheus and the Cladeus?   The sacred grove of Zeus was filled with plane trees and wild olives that

 were dedicated to him who was the father of all gods and mortals.   

Approaching the archeological site before you reach the museum parking area, we will cross a bridge over the Cladeus River.

 The riverbed remains dry for most of the year now but in ancient times it was one of Olympia’s vital rivers. We will need to

 enter the sanctuary on the north side and proceed along the length of the Gymnasium.  The southeast section of the site that

 contained the Hippodrome has been washed away by the waters of the Alpheus River. Did you know that excavations began at

 Olympia in the 19th century, but continue to this day?  Important finds included sculptures from the Temple of Zeus, the Nike of

 Paeonius, the Hermes of Praxiteles and many bronzes. In total 14,000 objects were recorded.  Did you also know that

 Hercules measured the length (600 feet) of the stadium at Olympia by pacing it out himself?   It measures 600 feet.  The Temple

 of Zeus was the largest Doric temple in the Peloponnese and it was built to house the gold and ivory statue of Zeus.  The first

 major excavation of Olympia began in 1975 which was funded by the German government.  At night, we will return to Athens

 from the west of the Peloponnese accompanied with the view of the Ionian Sea.  Then, we can view the athletic facilities and

 visitor accommodations (guest houses baths etc). 

We hope you enjoyed an “A Walk on the Wild Side”.  We personally toured the mountain villages last winter and Olympia

 several years ago.  Each village had it’s own special feeling.  You walked in our paths from Athens, Tripoli, Olympia, Agios

 Petros, Doliana, Vasta, Megalopoli, Koutroufa, Sitaina, Platanos, Kastanitsa, Lagadia, Kerasia, Tsakonia, Demitsana,

 Stemnitsa, Olympia and Athens.  Please say yassas (hello) as you pass the villagers.  They certainly will respond with herete

 (welcome).

“A Walk on the Wild Side” is a 1956 novel by Nelson Algren and later,  a 1972 song by Lou Reed.