We began yet another day trip early Saturday morning to the Peloponnese which is almost an island, but not really because of a very small connection to the Greek mainland...but then they built a canal so now it really is an island...only not really. Whatever it is, the Peloponnese is a beautiful place, home to Corinth, Mycenae and Nafplion, full of wonders from ancient times to modern.
We started the day off with an early morning bus ride to Corinth. Unfortunately, our everlasting exhaustion yielded no relief during this time since Corinth is a mere hour by bus from Athens. So, we trudged up to the ancient ruins of Corinth, clinging on to every ounce of energy. Here, the Kaplans' friend and fellow professor/archaeologist, Kim, met with us to give us a guided tour of the temples and agora. We've been in Greece for 3 weeks now and I'm realizing that it's really easy to forget just how incredible the ruins and the history behind them is. Sometimes I feel myself forgetting how crazy it is that we're standing in the middle of a marketplace that is 2,000 years old and that was once used by people like us. So, to get a real tour by someone who really has a passion for the history, is not only enlightening but extremely valuable to appreciating and understanding the history of these ruins.
The ruins in Corinth were really beautiful. Hearing from Kim about the history and learning about Corinthian architecture in Dr. Arafat's art history class have given me a greater appreciation not only for Corinth's history but also for its people.
After we finished touring the ruins and the museum, Kim took us back to her home which was a short walk away, where she provided much needed and appreciated refreshments. We sat on her balcony, overlooking the ruins, taking in the beautiful scenery of the Peloponnese, while we chowed down on juicy oranges and moist apple cake. Then it was off to Mycenae.
We climbed back on the bus, refreshed and rejuvenated after Kim's extremely thoughtful hospitality, and headed to Mycenae. Here we found the ancient ruins of what once was a major center and military stronghold of ancient Greece during the second millenium B.C. We wondered through the ruins, taking in the breathtaking landscape, the rolling hills and green mountains. The more we climbed the more beautiful the view got, but the entire way up, we were experiencing the incredible ruins of Mycenae, grave circles and tombs included.
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| A grave circle in Mycenae. |
Once we started down the back of what was probably the acropolis of Mycenae, Mr. Dr. Kaplan told us to get our flashlights out (we had gotten a rather conspicuous memo to make sure we brought a flashlight). Since all I could see was what appeared to be walls of defense to protect the acropolis, I was confused, but I grabbed my flashlight anyway and let him lead the way. Then I saw this mysterious, giant hole in the rocks and realized that the steps leading down to it continued through it. Mr. Dr. Kaplan explained that this was a tunnel that lead deep down underground and was used as a source of water. I realized very quickly upon entering the tunnel that a flashlight was a desperately needed tool to navigate around as it was pitch black. We started our descent into the dark, hollow tunnel, the daylight disappearing as we went, gingerly descending from step to slippery step, hands following the damp wall for balance and to ease the discomfort of near blindness. With the stream of people going in and out, one slip of the foot would be the epitome of the domino effect. It wasn't long before we reached the bottom which was sort of like a small, waist deep pit. This is where the water would have come to in ancient times. As I stood in the pit, I looked up towards the tunnel entrance and saw nothing but the faint, shaky flashlights and phone screens of those who were still making their descent. It was a sort of eerie darkness, the rocks that made a sort of silent hum, echoing everything we said. It was then that I thought about a person, in ancient times, climbing down here for water, carrying a bucket in one hand, a torch in the other, and trying not to slip. That was when I felt a very sudden gratitude for indoor plumbing and electricity.
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| The tunnel opening. |
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| Climbing down the tunnel. The only light is from the flash on my camera. |
After the Venetian fortress, we went into Nafplion to have lunch and spend some time enjoying the city. We ate lunch at what seemed to be the middle ground between sit-down dining and fast food where chicken pitas were the name. Let me just say, if I have to eat one more chicken pita...I might vomit. They were good the first five times and alright ten times after that, but now...I'm so sick of them. I mean, I know they're cheap but I can only take so many chicken pitas before I lose it. After that somewhat unsatisfying lunch, we headed out in search of the beach, which you think would be easy to find in a town surrounded by nothing but water. You would be wrong. We ventured through the cute little streets of Nafplion before finding ourselves back at the harbor where the bus dropped us off. There was water, yes, but no beaches. So, defeated, hot and tired, we plopped down on the dock and dangled our feet in the water, enjoying the view of a medieval fortress on the water.
Just before we left, we finally found a swimming hole not far from the harbor. Since we didn't come equipped with swimsuits, we had to sacrifice our dry clothes in exchange for a nice, cool swim. The bus ride back may have been a little damp and uncomfortable, and I'm sure the bus driver didn't appreciate our salty, wet clothed bottoms on his clean, dry seats, but it was well worth it!
All in all, it was a fun day, but by the end, we were ready to crash. It was cool to see the ancient city of Corinth, the even older city of Mycenae and the more modern counterpart in Nafplion. But swimming, fully clothed, in the ocean off of Nafplion; that's what I'll remember most about this day.
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