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Monday 30th May 2011
A short drive today from Tolo to Mikenes near ancient Mycenae calling on the way at the delightful seaside town of Nafplio.
The town was the first capital of modern Greece, from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Due to its strategic position it has quite a chequered history changing hands between the Ottomans and Venetians time and again. Its harbour is guarded by three castles one on a small island ( Bourtzi ), another just above the old town ( Akronafplia ) and one capping a tall cliff above the town ( Palamidi Fortress ).
The town itself has narrow atmospheric streets lined with elegant Venetian houses.
We strolled along the harbour and then into the town. In Syntagma ( Constitution ) Square we found the Venetian Arsenal now the Archaeological museum with the Venetian symbol of the winged lion of St Mark above the entrance.
We stopped for lunch at a Gyro bar - chicken or pork with salad wrapped in a pitta - delicious. In the upper streets of the old town close to the church of St Spiridon we stood on the spot where the
first president of independent Greece was assassinated by landowners fearing land reform in 1831. In the Town Hall square we saw the statue of King Otto a Bavarian installed as King in 1832. It was he that had the capital moved to Athens after 1834. We also found a curious shop / museum for worry beads which are still widely popular here in Greece.
On to Mikines our stop for tonight near the ancient site of Mycenae the hub of a mighty civilisation between 1600 BC and 1200 BC - a thousand years before before Athen's golden age.
On arrival the welcome sight of the swimming pool - a necessity when the temperature is 30+ - SPLASH
Tuesday 31st May 2011
Morning school and domestics followed after lunch by our visit to the ancient site of Mycenae an ancient fortress city on top of a hill.
The Mycenaeans could be thought of as the first real Greeks and it may have been they that attacked and defeated Troy after a long siege giving rise to the story of the Trojan Horse. In any case they presided over the region for 400 years undisputed rulers of
the Aegean.
The site sits atop a hill, a walled city built of huge blocks of stone. The exterior walls were 40 feet high and 20 feet thick using boulders 5 to 10 tons each - dubbed cyclopean architecture as legend has it that Perseus ( who slew the Medusa ) built the city with the help of the giant one eyed Cyclopes.
The entrance gate - The Lion Gate is impressive with two lionesses flanking a column symbolically protecting it the way the Mycenaean kings once protected the city.
Inside a cemetery - grave circle A - can be seen where Mycenaean royalty were buried and where a treasure trove of gold swords, spears and other objects have been found including the gold death mask of a bearded man.
Also of note are the ruins of the royal palace and throne room and a water cistern used to store water in case of drought or siege dug deep into the hill. We descended the slippery steps into the dark unknown - luckily a fellow traveller produced a torch and we were able to go deeper into the cool interior.
We then visited the museum where many
of the finds from the city are displayed. We were amazed to see the fine workmanship of 3500 years ago.
Finally we visited 'The tomb of Agamemnon' a massive beehive shaped underground burial chamber. The entryway itself is on a grand cyclopean scale. The lintel over the entrance is 26ft x 16ft x 3ft and weighs 120 tons ! The round chamber inside is 47ft in diameter and 42ft tall and served as the burial chamber for a King. All built without the aid of modern earth movers / JCBs.
Later on our return to site the wonderful cool swimming pool - SPLASH !
In the evening our attention was drawn to two owls roosting in the tree directly above the van - a lovely sight to see.
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