Reflections on Greece — Part Two

Another sidelight on our travels in Greece was the 1 1/2-hour ride on a ferry, to and from Corfu, across the crystal blue Ionia Sea. So relaxing and time to talk to fellow travelers or simply sit back and contemplate what's been experienced in seven days.

Lord Byron statue at Garden of Heroes

On the way to Rio we made a stop at the Garden of Heroes in Missolonghi. It was a serene and sobering setting, a sacred place where countless Greeks suffered brutal deaths in their war of independence from Turkish rule. The heart of Lord Byron, the great English poet, is buried on the hallowed grounds.

Statue in Archaeological
 Museum of Olympus

In  Olympia, we walked in the stadium where the first Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C. We saw the Temple of Zeus, now in ruins, considered of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We explored the Archaeological Museum of Olympus, the repository of statues, columns, and facades from the ancient grounds.

Shopping area in Nafplio

We traveled to picturesque Nafplio, a seaside town that was the first capital of independent Greece. Some consider it the most charming town in Greece. From my short time there, I tend to agree.

Open-air theater in Epidaurus

Then it was on to Epidaurus, home to the country's famous open-air theater (we were told Kevin Spacey and Ethan Hawke have performed there), built in the 4th century B.C.  It's considered near acoustically perfect and can seat up to 14,000.

Burial grounds of Agamemnon

We also took in Mycenae, the burial grounds of King Agamemnon. No doubt Aeschylus's play, "Agamemnon," has been performed at Epidaurus many times through the ages.

Temple of Apollo

Heading back to Athens, we stopped in Corinth, the place where the biblical Apostle Paul spread the gospel around 50 A.D. It is also home to the Temple of Apollo and other ruins from the 6th century B.C.  

Corinth Canal

We made a brief stop at the Corinth Canal, a sliver about four miles long and 70-feet wide, that was finished in 1893. It was an engineering feat at the time, but today it's more of a tourist attraction since it's way too small for today's modern ships. But the water was a gorgeous bluer than blue from the Aegean Sea. 

The last part of our Greece odyssey tomorrow.

Until the next time . . . 

Reflections on Greece — Part One

It's been a month since my wife and I returned from Greece, spending nearly two weeks traveling across an ancient land which exceeded our expectations. 

To view images of this beautiful country in books or on the Internet is one thing, but to witness them firsthand while walking among the ruins or taking in the breathtaking vistas from mountains to coastlines is something to behold.   

The Parthenon

Our sightseeing journey began in Athens, the oldest city in Europe and the birthplace of democracy more than 2,500 years ago. We walked up to the Acropolis, the citadel overlooking the gray-toned city, and saw the Parthenon, Temple of Athena, Theatre of Dionysius, and the Erechtheion. You couldn't help but marvel at the architecture and the craftsmanship in erecting the buildings for their mythological gods.

Temple of Apollo

From there, we drove to the Delphi, home of the ancient oracle and the Temple of Apollo, situated on the steep side of a hill. You marvel how the ancient Greeks were able to transport materials to the rugged location.

We then drove to the Meteora region, to the village of Kalambaka, at the foot of the Pindus Mountains. We toured the Monastery of Great Meteoron and St. Stephen's Monastery, constructed nearly 500 years ago on the top of 1,000-foot high pinnacle rocks. 

Monastery of Great Meteoron

For those who have seen the 1981 James Bond movie, "For Your Eyes Only," one of the scenes was filmed at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity.

Meteora ranks as one of the highlights of the trip. The area is a geological wonder, stunning, gorgeous and unforgettable.    

Old Town in Corfu reflects Venetian influence

The next stop was the island of Corfu on the Ionian Sea, a place influenced architecturally by Venetian rule for nearly 400 years. We toured the grand Achilleion, the summer palace of Empress Elizabeth of Austria as well as Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, then spent an afternoon exploring Old Town of Corfu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Smashed pottery in Old Town

We were also there during the Greek Orthodox Church celebration of Easter, a colorful event that includes religious processions across Greece and in Corfu, the traditional tossing of pottery from windows that represents letting go of the old to make room for the new.  

We'll continue the trip in the next part.

Until the next time . . .

Amazon Giveaway for "New Horizons"

Here's an opportunity to win an ebook of my latest novel, "New Horizons," the third book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series.

Unfortunately, the contest is open only to those who live in the United States. That is Amazon's contest rules, not mine. I'd prefer for it to be available to anyone, anywhere.

Click here to enter. There are no strings attached. Easy as pie.

The novel follows the trails of baby boomers John Ross and his wife, Sally,  as they journey to Budapest on a guided tour. It turns into a memorable trip in many ways. They also must contend with what is happening back home.

I do hope you'll let others know about the giveaway, so please share with other readers.

Good luck!

Until the next time . . .

New Horizons Published on May 1

I was glancing at my posts and realized that while I gave progress reports on "New Horizons" the past few months, I never announced that it had been published. 

Well (drum roll, please), family, friends, readers, and other interested folks, "New Horizons" was published May 1 by Wings ePress. 

I suppose it slipped my mind because I was traveling across Greece from April 21 to May 3. And then it took a few days to recover from the trip including getting my body adjusted from the seven-hour time difference.

But as I said, it's out there, in print and e-book format. It's available at the Wings website as well as reliable Amazon.

The novel, the third book in the "John Ross Boomer Lit Series," is about John and Sally Ross's 10-day guided tour to historic Budapest. It's a wild and wacky trip as they meet a variety of traveling companions to make for a memorable journey.

And they also have to deal with what is going on back in the States as best they can. Nothing is ever easy for John and Sally. 

You can read an excerpt here.

Until the next time . . . 

Unpleasant Memory of Greece

My wife and I spent nearly two weeks on a guided tour in Greece, viewing some wondrous sites across this beautiful country.

Despite seeing impressive places such as the ancient Acropolis, the Oracle of Delphi,  the majestic Meteora monasteries, the ruins at the Temple of Zeus, the enchanting island of Corfu, and the picturesque seaside port of Nafplio, the experience was marred by a handful of lowlifes we encountered on the Metro in Athens.


Pickpockets.

We were assaulted twice by a group of losers. Fortunately, for us, they only managed to steal my old cellphone. But it could have been worse.

I managed to prevent one of the thieves from taking the wallet from my zippered front pocket. They did unzip my wife's handbag but only managed a passport holder (without my passport) that they tossed aside. 

My wife was physically assaulted when one of the thugs pressed his body against her, whom she promptly pushed him back. 

I didn't take their crap, shoving them off and giving them a tongue-lashing that could probably be heard throughout the car.  They ran off when the door opened. Yeah, they're cowards as well.

We did manage to find security and they were helpful in directing us to the stop where our hotel was located.

I'm writing this because I believe Athens needs to clean up its act or it'll start losing much-needed tourism dollars. I can tell you now that I'd never travel to Barcelona because of its pickpocket problem. 

I caution travelers to be on the lookout for pickpockets. They blend in. They're not always easy to spot except that they generally work in pairs or group, trying to distract you and then stealing your wallet, purse, passports, and other items. 

This was our fourth trip to Europe so we weren't naive about the possibility of it happening to us. I do believe we were spared a worse outcome because we had educated ourselves to be on the lookout for these subhumans.  

So beware of greasy hands in Greece. It's a shame that people can make the effort to travel across the world to this nation but leave with the memory of being attacked by common criminals. It can happen to you. 

Check this post from The Savvy Backpacker for tips to avoid pickpockets as well as European cities where pickpockets are a big problem. 

One more thing. We intend to return to Europe. We're not going to let the petty pickpockets win. I just hope that police crackdown even more on these creeps.

Until the next time . . .

Book Promotion for Darkness Beyond the Light

The second book in my John Ross Boomer Lit series, Darkness Beyond the Light, will be on sale for 99 cents for one week beginning April 21. 

This past week, Old Ways and New Days, the first book in the series geared toward baby boomers, was offered at that price. And if you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read them for free. 



The books are on sale as part of a promotion from Wings ePress before the publication of New Horizons on May 1. 

New Horizons, the third book, can be downloaded on preorder before the release date. It will be available in print on May 1 as well.

Darkness Beyond the Light deals with John and Sally Ross confronting their son's drug problem. They also have Sally's opinionated octogenarian mother to contend with on the homefront during the usually joyous Christmas holiday season.

In New Horizons, John and Sally attempt to get away from all the chaos at home by taking a long overdue vacation to historic Budapest. But they encounter other issues along the way that make it a memorable trip they'd almost soon forget.




I hope that if you chose to read the books that you find them unforgettable—in a good way. And don't forget to leave a review and/or rating (for me and other authors after you finish reading books).

Until the next time . . . 

Greece is the Word

I'll soon be flying off to the birthplace of democracy, a perplexing word in these disjointed times around the world. 

It's also a place known for ancient ruins, great storytellers, deep thinkers, artistic expression, and much more—Athens, Greece.


Greece always seemed like a magical place to me while growing up in Kentucky, with its pristine beaches splashed by the deep blue crystal waters of the Mediterranean, Aegean and Ionian seas, rugged and hilly landscape, and whitewashed homes.

I enjoyed reading Greek mythology as a child, and later, The Odyssey in high school. And there were movies such as Jason and the Argonauts, Zorba the Greek, Never On Sunday, Shirley Valentine, and recently, Mamma Mia! The Movie and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.  My favorite James Bond flick, For Your Eyes Only, had scenes from Greece.

And now I'll get to see and experience first-hand this ancient and enchanting nation with my wife and other adventurous and curious travelers. 

In addition to Athens, we'll visit places such as Delphi, Corfu, Kalambaka, and Nauplia.
  

Greece flag

Among the sites we'll see along the rocky way are the Acropolis (home of the Parthenon, Temple of Athena, Nike, and Erechthelon), the Temple of Apollo, the Old Royal Palace, Achillion Palace, Church of St. Spyridon, Temple of Zeus, and various monasteries, museums, and landmarks. 

For the past several months I've been devouring a lot of materials about this historic country—from the Internet, travel guides, DVDs, and travel programs on television. I've tried learning a few Greek words but I'm not sure how effective I'll be in communicating with my Southern twang. 

Check back in a few weeks and I'll have a few posts about the trip along with photographs from various locales.

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