As a child growing up in post war Britain there were less of the flashy toys to play with. We made our own fun playing in the sand in the local quarry, watching the trains speed by, putting coins on the line for them to run over. We collected car number plates. There were not so many cars on the road then and it was easy to sit on a wall with a pencil and paper and write them down. We lay in the grass watching the butterflies in the meadow . We collected wild flowers. We dipped our feet in the icy cold water of the river. We had I- Spy books. I Spy Castles. I Spy Bridges. We collected points for seeing various road bridges or features on them. If we were lucky enough ... read more

From Navarino Bay Suzy climbed her way up a long and winding road. We had not planned to visit Nestas Palace at home but as time was not tight and we were trying to fill it in it seemed a good idea to detour and visit the little visited Myceanean complex. It was out of the way a little but somehow when you have time on your hands it makes sense to use it wisely and see something interesting. We are getting into the habit of rising later but even after eating breakfast , paying our bills we were still on the empty car park in the middle of nowhere at early o'clock. The car park was as always dusty. Suzy is looking dusty too and in need of a good wash, polish and spruce up. ... read more

" At various points in our lives,or on a quest , and for reasons that often remain obscure , we are driven to make decisions which prove with hindsight to be loaded with meaning " Sri Swami Satchindananda. Our holidays are a long time in the making. We start early with the planning to fit in with the time we have which is limited. Whilst I still have mudane work to contend with we have to be meticulous in our planning. We only have a certain amount of time and have to try to pack in as much as we can. We start off with the places that we consider must see and then work through the ones that seem worth a visit. Throw in train times under the tunnel, a visit to Athens and it ... read more

Our next destination wasn’t too far away . So where is Suzy parked. She is somewhere known as the Eyes of Venice. The Venetians built their castle here at Koroni in order to survey the shipping lanes between the Adriatic and Crete. What a wonderful shipping lane it was too. The sea crystal clear aquamarine with tiny fishes swimming. The sand pristine. Guarded by a castle it is described as a town with steep streets leading to the castle. Koroni was one of Venices longest held possessions. Important for the production of siege engines. The fortified bluff commands grand views across the Messinian Gulf. It’s streets are stepped and ramped and all lead uphill. They have little changed since the Venetian occupation. The Michelin Guides does no justice to describing what is a pretty town. It ... read more

How about a bit of a change? We have done a city - Athens, a few museums, greek temples by the score,a handful of Cyclopean remains , the sea, the sand , the mountains and the monasteries. Let's do Venetian. It is easy travelling in Suzy to be able to do different things. We are not tied down to any one place. So let's go in search of marble pavements, the Lion of St Mark , a looming castle in an elegant small town which was contested between the Turks and the Venetians for years. It has a fair share of history in its medieval streets and holds the distinction of being the first capital of independent liberated Greece. Throw in a swanky marina full of yachts, the Bourtzi, picture perfect castle set in the cobalt ... read more