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    The first email from Greece is in France 2001(1)

From: damag@bigpond.net.au

To:

Cc:

Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 2:25 AM

Subject: Wisdom from the Oracle

Hi All

 

Well, maybe not wisdom from the oracle (the tree through which the Gods spoke was actually cut down by the Christians in the 4th C AD).  To make sense of that I need to back track.  Last time I wrote I said we were on our way to see our first ruin.  This we did in a place called Dordone.  Here, unearthed in 1873, is a whole temple complex and theatre that flourished from the second millennium BC until the 4th C AD.  Archaeologists have been digging here since 1873 and are still finding things.  This place was originally a sanctuary dedicated to Zeus where the famous oracle made known its pronouncements through the whispering of the breeze in the leaves of a sacred oak tree.  The message was interpreted by the priests who were accustomed to sleeping on the ground, the better to be in tune iwth the god's manifestations.  Later, however, the oracle was interpreted by priestesses. Finally, in the 6th C AD the barbarians destroyed the place.

 

The huge ampitheatre type arena is nowadays used as a theatre during summer for the performance of Greek tragedies.  Here also is the temple of Hercules and a very ancient Christian basilica.  Not a bad introduction to ancient Greece.

 

Moving on from ancient Greek Dordone, we went on to Kastoria, the fur capital of Greece.  We paid no attention to the furs whatsoever but spent quite a bit of time around the 9thC Byzantine churches.  Unfortunately, due to vandalism, the churches are not open but many of the 50 remaining churches in the town have outside frescoes dating from 10-14th centuries.  These funny little churches were private chapels for the wealthy and it is amazing that 50 of the 75 that were recorded as being in the town still remain.  (For those of the camping fraternity - the only named campsite in the Caravan Club site guide no longer exists.  It used to be run by a monastry but they have closed up shop.  We will report this to the Caravan Club.  There is not a site near Kastoria - we ended up staying in Hotel Petra on the outskirts of town where the car park was big enough to take the van.)

 

Two other things about Kastoria - good Greek food and a barber who lived in Australia and New Zealand for about 50 years and has come back to Greece to retire - he now only has one shop instead of a chain of them in Aus and NZ.  Neither of us had had a haircut since March so you can imagine the "shaggy dog" image that was being presented.  Seeing an open barber shop, I suggested that Arnold go in and get a hair cut.  We said "hello" and this voice offered back, in English, "hello where are you from?"  Well, it went from there.  We got George Stefanidis life history and spent a chatty time with both Arnold and I getting a haircut.  I haven't had a razor cut in years and Arnold's hair had NEVER been so short.  Being weak from having our hair cut, dinner was a necessity.  We went to a restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet and were taken out into the kitchen to choose what we wanted to eat.  We sat outside  watching the grandmothers watching the children and just generally soaking up the atmosphere and the food and wine. 

 

Next day we went back into Kastoria for a brief visit to the Byzantine museum where many of the icons from the small churches are now displayed.  These are religious paintings ranging from 10-16th Cs.  Amazing.

 

Moving on from Kastoria we headed for Thessaloniki.  We knew that the campsites were a long way away (27 or 33kms from the town) so we headed for the one we thought would be closest.  To cut a very long story short - roadworks foiled our plans and we ended up in EOT Camping Epanomi on the edge  of the  Thessaloniki Gulf.  We were told that, because of the roadworks it would take about 2 hours and 3  buses to get into town.  So....we stayed and enjoyed the seaside atmosphere - little tavernas, ouzeries (where ouzo is served) and not much else.  We swam in the Aegean Sea - which was surprisingly clean and then after 2 nights, tried to find the original camp for which we were looking.  Got lost again amongst the roadworks (not because I couldn't read the Greek language signs!!!).  Found EOT Camping Agia Triada which is only 1 hour and 2 buses to the town.  (Both campsites are a little unloved and were very empty - considering "the season" is about to start.  Hot water varied from hot to not and many pitches have huge curbings that neither vans nor caravans would be able to mount.  No one seems to know what amperage the electricity is but our microwave and electric BBQ haven't blown any fuses yet!  ( Haven't tried the iron yet!)

 

Thessaloniki is full of archaeological digs and lots of just plain digs (roads, buildings etc).  Probably the most amazing thing to be seen there is the Archaeological Museum.  The findings from various archaeological digs are held in one place and the display of Macedon Gold from tombs defies description.  The Elgin Marbles type statues abound and the typical Grecian urn (dating from around 500BC) seems in evidence in plenty also.  Probably THE most amazing piece of work we saw was the Derveni Vase.  This huge bronze cup dates from the 4th C BC is gilt with appliqued figures on the neck and reliefs illustrating the life of Dionysos.  It stands about 1m high and is intact.  Several gold crowns of the finest filigree work sit alongside gold jewellery that I would have loved to have taken home.  It is hard to believe that it is not modern stuff and even harder to understand how such fine work could be done without some sort of magnification.

 

We also saw a third century round church (called the Rotunda) that still has some of its 5th C mosaics.  The whole place (that is Thessoloniki) is not aesthetically pleasing but the treasures held here are beyond monetary counting and need to be seen to be believed.  The craftsmanship of artisans 500 years BC is stupendous.   The city is also still rebuilding from earthquakes in the early 1990s. 

 

Back from town today and another swim in the Aegean Sea.  (Both campsites have good beaches, Agia Triada is better).  Having cooled down enough to write this epistle, I have now warmed up enough to need a chilled beer and maybe even another swim.

 

Hope winter is not too bad in Australia this year.  Greek summer seems to be doing its normal thing - about 35-38oC most days.

 

Bye for now

 

Deb & Arnold

From:  damag@bigpond.net.au

To:

Cc:

Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2001 10:20 PM

Subject: Attack of the killer pine needles.

Dear All

 

Sweltering as we are here in Northern Greece, we won't ask about the weather in the rest of the world.  We have heard that summer in Scotland is 13oC & raining and that New South Wales has had its wettest May and driest June in umpteen years!   We have done little except swim in the teal blue, crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea to avoid the punishing 35-40oC heat here.

 

We moved away from Thessaloniki and headed south east to the Sithonian Peninsula to a town called Nea Maramas (Camping Marama(s) shaded, very sloping site with reasonable facilities and a great little private beach - it was full of Danish people staying in Eurocamping type tents that have been set up by the campsite.)  Most of the campsites in Northern Greece are suffering from neglect because the problems in the Balkans have prevented a lot of their usual Eastern European clients from getting to the sites.  We spoke to the manager of Camping Marama and he has to travel during winter to round up clientele for the next summer.  It is the only way for the campsite to be able to remain afloat.  It is very sad because the beaches are wonderful and the surrounding countryside harsh but fascinating. 

 

Arnold made the fatal mistake of saying "a bit of rain would be nice!".  We were swimming when we noticed a few clouds (the first we had seen in ages) that looked pretty harmless.  Within the hour we were being whipped by "killer" pine needles as we struggled with the wind to put away our awning (like a big roller blind on legs), outside furniture, mats etc before the onslaught of the rain.  The sea, that had barely a ripple in it previously,  was frothing at the shore with waves pounding the little beach bar mercilessly.  Fortunately we succeeded in getting all of our stuff away.  The only damage done to us was from the pine needles that were unforgiving in their descent and we continue to pull out of the strangest places in the van.  Arnold was able to help hold down the awning of a German couple's van while the man tried valiantly to wind it in.  It took two people to hold down the awning that was twice as big as ours and they only just got it in in time.  A caravan near us was not so lucky.  Their whole caravan awning/tent was lifted up and over the roof of the van exposing their fridge, bedding, tables, chairs etc.  By this time the rain was pelting down and nothing could be done because their tent poles were all too bent - unbelievably so when we saw them next morning.  Within an hour and half it was all over and people were back swimming again.  Moral of the story - Arnold should NOT ask for rain.

 

Moving further south on the Sithonian Peninsula we arrived in a small town (4 campsites, 3 restaurants and a shop) called Kalamitsi.  We stayed in Camping Porto but any of the others would have been fine.  The van was too tall to go under the framed sun shelters that many of the sites have but we found a fairly shady place for the truck.  We both agree that, so far, this is the best beach either of us have ever had the pleasure of swimming in.  It may not be grand on the scale of the Queensland or Western Australian beaches but the colour and warmth of the water and the sheer pleasure of the surroundings are something we have been delighted to experience.  Tried out one of the restaurants and were told that the "Hellenic" kitchen was open for us to choose our food.  Lemon lamb and yiros (gyros in Greek) along with the usual Greek salad and egg plant dip etc went down very well along with some of the chef's home made white wine.  The whole meal (more than we could eat) cost AUD$40 (about 13 pounds UK).  With atmosphere laid on we stayed here for several days.

 

Given Australians' fear of skin cancer, and our own concerns with it as well, we have bought big straw hats and, despite these and Factor 30+ my skin is as brown as it has ever been - and I used to spend all my summers in the sun back in the bad old days!  Arnold's hat, bought in a tiny Greek beach resort proudly bore a "made in Australia - The Big Australian - All Round Cancer Protection" sticker!

 

We are now on the outskirts of a town called Kavala, nearly to the Turkish border.  We stayed overnight last night in Asprovalta (Camping Asprovalta - another diminished but okay site with a good, but pebbly beach) as travelling too far in the heat is not much fun and the roads in Greece do leave something to be desired.  We plan on going into Kavala tomorrow to see some more "old things" and to perhaps buy a new swimsuit - one isn't enough when you live in it.  We have all but decided to go briefly into Turkey to Gallipoli and to Istanbul (our van insurance doesn't reach much further than that) but we are still reading and researching - hopefully we can.  Camping Irini is the site in Kavala - another beach (I will be trying out the water after I have finished this), continental toilets, no longer a shop but a popular restaurant on site. 

 

Until next week

Deb & Arnold

The next email (23 July) is in Turkey Emails.  It has some details about Greece but is included in the Turkey Emails as it contains details of crossing the Greece - Turkey border.

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