Reflections on Greece — Part Three

Sightseeing is probably the main reason for traveling to far and distant lands. You read and study about different places and you want to see it firsthand. 

The Parthenon

And that's a reason my wife and I journeyed to Greece, to see places such as the Acropolis in Athens, the legendary city of Olympia where the first Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C., and Delphi, believed by ancient Greeks to be the center of the world.

While it's interesting and educational to visit these and other places (I must admit that after seeing several temples, they begin to look the same), it's going off the beaten path and experiencing another culture that enhances the adventure and truly makes it memorable.

Melina Mercouri

It's nice to have free time to do some exploring on your own. In Athens, my wife and I saw quite a few gypsies selling various items. We ventured to see the statue of internationally acclaimed actress Melina Mercouri, and across the road, Hadrian's Wall. 

Greek dancers

At a dinner at the quaint Tripa (or Trypa) restaurant in Corfu, our group was entertained by two traditional Greek dancers who had all of us shouting  "Opa!" to their rhythmic moves. They even had several of us out of the floor celebrating this colorful heritage. Opa is one Greek word that I'll never forget. 

Easter eve procession

Also in Corfu, we had time to discover Old Town, exploring the streets during festive pre-Easter celebrations that included tossing pottery out of windows. And in the evening, we watched a solemn religious procession near midnight. Religion is important to Greek lives as you may notice their flag has a cross, which symbolizes the Eastern Orthodox church.

Greek wines

Our group stopped at a vineyard in Nemea, where we learned about their wine-making process and sat down for a wine-tasting. And there was another stop at a business that makes top-of-the-line pottery and watched a craftsman at a wheel mold clay into shape. 

Our canine friend in Nafplio

We were amazed to see so many dogs and cats at the various sites. I was told that people often drop off the animals because they know they'll be cared of by the site personnel and tourists. While at Nafplio, we had a canine mingle with our group as we walked to several sites.

A cat taking it easy in Delphi

We had about 30 people in our group including 10 from Canada, seven from the Carolinas, four from Pennsylvania, three from California, two from Texas, one from Ohio, one from Tennessee, and my wife and I from Kentucky. It was a delightful and enthusiastic group, one that shared laughs and stories on a shared journey. One of the plusses of group travel is the friendships you develop along the way.

Group photo in Nafplio

Our guide, Enrico, was exceptional — intelligent, multi-lingual, informative, friendly, helpful, humorous, and as the gals would agree, handsome. 

Our dedicated bus driver got us to every venue safe and sound and on time, and the local guides provided us with information that enhanced each stop.

If you read one of my earlier posts, you know that my wife and I were accosted by pickpockets on the Metro in Athens. They managed to steal my cell phone but that was it as I was able to fend them off.  

My wife and I were determined not to let it spoil our trip, and while we still talk about the assault, it didn't overshadow the wonderful times we had in this marvelous country. I encourage you to visit Greece.

Mary and Michael, with Acropolis in the distance

Until the next time . . .