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Landscape
The drive back to Akrolithi was glorious through mountains and olive tree groves https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6456f997b7.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fa47a21b48.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...861a12ae2d.jpg |
1 Attachment(s)
The Moody Mani
Into each trip a little rain must fall…for the first time on this trip, we had a little rain. After so many boring blue skies Attachment 9083, we needed a break! It was windy and a day of light rain, on and off. I really can’t complain! We started the day taking a walk up to the nearby town of Oitylo, a tiny village at the top of our hill and one of the oldest towns in the Mani peninsula and was mentioned in Homer's Iliad! One of the treats of this trip was discovering the historical references to the places we were visiting. We stopped for a coffee and juice. Despite wind and an occasional raindrop, we enjoyed just slowing down and letting the day unfold and reveal itself to us. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b8c4a852ca.jpg From the hotel terrace https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a3479a9a8f.jpg Looking back to Akrolithi Boutique hotel https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a3c05e4bfa.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e8009e836c.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6c5bbc16cd.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7791b46c82.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df33b9c2d5.jpg The town of Oitylo https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f97e122a0.jpg |
I love, love your photos of Mystras Lower Town! A wonderful walk down memory lane for me. Do you take your photos with a cell phone or a "real" camera? Your photos of the ancient wall paintings and other interior shots of the churches are very sharp and clear.
Seeing all of Mystras does take a lot of energy. We visited the Upper Town first, too, and I think the walk to the top of the castle ruins did my husband in!:) We then drove down to the Lower Town and when we got there, my husband decided he was too tired to explore Lower Town, much to my disappointment. He found a shady spot to rest while I explored Lower Town by myself. I was gone for close to an hour but I could have stayed longer but didn't want him waiting by himself all that time. I know that some people walk up and down to both towns but there is no way we could have done that. |
Originally Posted by shelemm
(Post 17597658)
Exploring a place like Mystras is the kind of activity that brings joy to my heart for the exercise and the sense of wonder. Every angle is a different vision, like walking around a statue that has no front or back.
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Originally Posted by KarenWoo
(Post 17597788)
I love, love your photos of Mystras Lower Town! A wonderful walk down memory lane for me. Do you take your photos with a cell phone or a "real" camera? Your photos of the ancient wall paintings and other interior shots of the churches are very sharp and clear.
Seeing all of Mystras does take a lot of energy. We visited the Upper Town first, too, and I think the walk to the top of the castle ruins did my husband in!:) We then drove down to the Lower Town and when we got there, my husband decided he was too tired to explore Lower Town, much to my disappointment. He found a shady spot to rest while I explored Lower Town by myself. I was gone for close to an hour but I could have stayed longer but didn't want him waiting by himself all that time. I know that some people walk up and down to both towns but there is no way we could have done that. Once upon a time, I used a real camera but these days, I’ve been using only my iPhone (still using the 11 pro). I was a photographer so I see the limits of the phone but I also know that our travel photos are rarely ever printed and are generally only posted on line, so highest quality isn’t as essential. And, in good light, the iPhone is fantastic. With the interior shots, I just hold it very steady and keep my fingers crossed! In low light, it will get pixelized, anyway. But with thousands of photos, it doesn’t matter that much and I’ll get enough to post here!😉 After exploring the top of the Upper town, my husband was also exhausted and didn’t have the energy for too much more in the lower town. While I would’ve liked to have spent more time, we saw enough and got a good taste of what the Byzantine churches are like. Yes, even from the Upoer town parking lot, that was quite a hike and we both felt it. Of course, we watched others practically waltzing up and passing us on the way. |
Wow, the Lower Town is even more stupendous. What's with the guy with a face in his stomach? Now that must be a backstory I'd like to hear.
Photos on the screen with the light coming out at you are more marvelous than print. You have taken many superb photos. |
shelemm, Thank you again! Thanks for continuing to follow - I know it's taking me a while to post this TR and it makes me feel good to know that there are folks still following!!
Re: the mural -- I'm 90% sure that is the church of Demetrios and the painting is of the archangel Michael. I can't find any documentation quickly on the internet, but I'm guessing that he has "vanquished" Satan here. Not sure, someone else might know better, but that's my assumption. |
Kardamyli and more...
A low-keyed kinda day… after the prior day's exploration of Mystras, we took it easy, enjoying a lovely walk near our hotel to Oitylo (see above pix) in the earlier part of the day. We then took a drive to Kardamyli, one of the larger towns in the Mani and the seat of the municipality of western Mani. Perhaps it was the grey and damp day, or perhaps it’s just been too “discovered” but it reminded us more of Woodstock, New York - a cutesy, formerly charming town now overrun by tourist shops, rooms to let and lots of cars jamming the street. It wasn’t unpleasant, it was just too much a tourist town without having a real sense of location. Of course, we were a bit tired and not up to exploring much, and it is raining lightly so no inspiration to really wander. It wasn’t a bad experience, it just wasn’t unique. We had an okay lunch at the Gialos restaurant, beautifully sited overlooking the water. Driving back to Akrolithi Boutique hotel, .we hadn't seen many instances of sheep, but look - there are a few just off the road. But yikes, don’t get too close to them! Those dogs were serious!Heck, you can barely tell what these furry furballs are, anyway. And then there was the cow on the road, only partly snapped. Any good captions? |
Kardamyli - a half-hearted visit
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From the Mani to Messenia
We left the Akrolithi Boutique hotel and the rugged and remote Mani to travel to the outer reaches of the Peloponnese, to visit Pylos, a lovely harbor town in Messenia, the most western of the Peloponnese’s 3 “fingers”. The Battle of Navarino, a turning point for Greece in its battle of Independence, was fought here. We stayed at the Karalis Beach Hotel, overlooking the beach and water at the end of town. Pylos is wonderfully sited, with a castle above the town (castles everywhere here!), Nestor’s Palace down the road a bit, and several important medieval Venetian castles further down the road. The hotel overlooks the water and our 4 days here were wonderful! It was certainly one of our favorite hotels -- and won our best breakfast award, too! The Karalis Beach Hotel is at the end of a street that is a short walk from the town center. After settling into the hotel, we realized it was time for a meal. The first restaurant we came to, 4 Seasons, looked charming with tables covered with blue-checked tablecloths and were placed right along the waterfront. A little breezy, but a comfortable spot - friendly service, and even better, the food was excellent. We ate there twice over the 4 days we were in Pylos. We strolled around the town before relaxing back at the hotel. |
Mani to Pylos drive
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f804fc4dea.jpg A last look from our terrace at the Akrolithi Boutique hotel https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dde417615d.jpg And we are off again! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...40cd37130c.jpg Love the landscape on the trip! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e43acfd86a.jpg |
Smitten by Pylos - arrival day
Although the day was cloudy and grey, there was something about Pylos that grabbed us right away. We also loved the Karalis Beach hotel - not only is it beautifully sited, but the staff were warm, welcoming and very helpful. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b70b32a83a.jpg 4 Seasons Restaurant - Excellent service and food! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47e4e493c3.jpg 4 Seasons restaurant https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...667b53030e.jpg waterfront walking back to hotel https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c8a71a3409.jpg waterfront walking back to hotel https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f403637ed9.jpg Our small but lovely balcony https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...82588cc95e.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2b6d47931d.jpg |
Evening stroll
After our afternoon rest, we checked out a set of steps up to Pylos Castle; this seemed to be a back entrance so we took a quick peek and made plans to return when we had more time. Then we walked into the town center and had a light bite in one of the smaller restaurants that lined the square, enjoying the ambience. Perhaps because it's early May, the town is not overly busy, but has a nice energy. There is a mix of locals and visitors, some Greek and others from elsewhere. |
Breakfast at Karalis Beach Hotel
This was the best! Wonderful buffet, made-to-order eggs, excellent cappuccino, coffee or whatever you wanted. Served with such graciousness that the staff won our hearts. And what a beautiful breakfast room! The views, sigh... https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f43ba7153f.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...325b71eeef.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...88e52a4ff8.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bbd217c4ff.jpg |
Ancient Messene
Ancient Messene, one of the best-preserved archeological sites in Greece, and one of the best kept secrets. Well, not a secret anymore, but you don’t see the crowds of visitors here that you see elsewhere in Greece. It’s in an area that’s still slightly off the beaten track, but is well worth the trek. It flourished in the 4th century BC and was never destroyed or settled over, leaving the site in a surprisingly good state over the millennia. Messene was a complete city, designed around a symmetrical grid, and had the remains of a theater, gymnasium, agora, and many temples and sanctuaries. Although the morning skies had only a few clouds, we left Pylos as the clouds were becoming darker, but we were confident that a few drops wouldn’t bother us. We were awed when we arrived at the magnificent site of Messene, seeing the theater as we entered and noticing the many other structures far into the distance. We managed to see most of the site before the skies opened up and we got thoroughly drenched! Still, it was worth every drop! |
Ancient Messene - a wow(!) of a site!
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Venetian Castles - Methoni and KoroniA fantastic day! The weather was simply glorious, a perfect day to visit the Venetian castles. Methoni and Koroni, overlooking the Ionian Sea, were built in the early 13th C, important trade and marine centers — and, of course, important for defense.
Approaching and entering Methoni castle, we were taken by its immensity, though the interior is surprisingly open as the fortification once contained the old city of Methoni. The remains of a few hamams from Ottoman times remain as well as a more recent Orthodox Church. We loved clambering over the ruins, peering through holes and arches in the walls, and walking over the small causeway to the short Bourtzoi tower, a prison and place of execution during the Turkish Occupation. The Venetian symbol, the Lion of St. Mark, adorns the entry gate and many of the walls throughout the complex. And the views of the sea and nearby islands were wonderful. After visiting Methoni, we drove to Koroni, another town with a castle built by the Venetians and later occupied by the Ottomans. Except there really isn’t a castle anymore, rather, there are just crumbling remains of the fortifications, which encompass lots of houses and churches. We wandered a while, trying to locate a castle until we realized that we were in it. We saw an 8th century church, said to have the remains of a temple to Apollo nearby. The views are stunning from here and Koroni is said to have more of a Greek island-like feel, with many of its houses painted in traditional white with blue trim. Having had our fill of castles and beautiful views, it was time to return to our own cozy corner. |
Magnificent Methoni
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Stunning Koroni
The town is very pretty and the views are magical! But we were pretty tired by the time we arrived, and it's very hilly. We drove up and down and all around before we found parking in a nondescript lot. It was only when a local reassured us that it was okay to park here did we feel safe to do so. And even then, we weren't sure! We did not visit the lower town, but that may've been a better place to park (though the walk uphill would not have been so much fun!). While we enjoyed our time here, we were so blown away by Methoni, and wandering the area that was once defined by the castle but is no longer a defined site; rather, there are simply remnants of castle walls, an old monastery, but no clearly-defined route. We had a map be we couldn't make sense of it! Still, we managed to visit the 2nd of the 3 Venetian castles in this area, and that was what we wanted to do! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3784914ae1.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e7fdb1096b.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f7c359794d.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...76969288e8.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2aca0d6f44.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d364b4a6f.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48b8f228e0.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3e1dc035ee.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a6d71b938.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df04944549.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...11d99db7f7.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4e1c82438d.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...82e5203699.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c19790feaa.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1637fea4bf.jpg |
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