Albania

Albania August 24th

After a short trip from Corfu we arrived in the coastal city of Saranda, Albania. This country remained isolated from most of the world after WWII under the rule of a communist regime. The government was so paranoid of potential attacks from other countries that it built 300 thousand bunkers to repel invaders. We visited some of these small igloo shaped structures. The communist lost a major election to the Democratic Party in 1991 and the new progressive government made major reforms bringing about capitalism and enabling the economy to expand. Saranda is a rapidly growing tourist spot with many resorts, too many. When the old communist system feel the people thought they were free to do anything and started building homes without permits. The government however responded by demolishing hundreds of these and the wreckage remains next to other completed units. After passing through the city we drove on to the large excavation site of a former Greek colony and later a Roman city constructed in the 3rd Century BC. The ruins initially excavated by Mussolini prior to WWII is one of the finest sites found to date with magnificent city walls, theater, temple and forum. We were surprised to learn that the head of Albania was also visiting the site and we had the opportunity to shake hands with President Topi.

Back to our ship we had time to go swimming in the crystal clear waters on a rocky shoreline. Following dinner our group watched the movie “No Man’s Land” depicting the absurdity of the war between Bosnia and Serbia. Our guide, Vasea, from Croatia had suffered during the conflict with multiple shelling of her family’s home by the Serbian army.

Corfu

Arriving in Corfu August 23rd

Our ship arrived this morning at this small island near the coast of Albania which was the subject of Homer’s Odyssey where Ulysses was washed ashore after having slain

the giant Cyclops. The island part of the Seven Ionian Islands is now primarily a tourist destination and home for foreign retirees. Another source of income are the orchards which produce very small but valued olives, koum kouat and almonds. A bus tour took us around the beach resort area and quaint villages high in the hills on very curvy roads.

Our last stop was in the old center of Corfu town where the bulk of the islanders live. A protective fortress built in the 13th century dominates the western edge on the old town. The architecture of the island is primarily the result of occupation by Venice, France, Germany, and Russia.

Arriving in Itea August 22nd

Arriving in Itea August 22nd

We docked overnight and after breakfast today we boarded our bus to take the windy road past the “sea of olive trees” to the top of Mt Parnassus where in mythology the God Apollo took up residence after slaying the serpent Python conquered the surrounding area and established his cult of Delphi. Here the the Oracle of Apollo became the center for world culture and a huge complex of temples and treasuries were established. This cultural center lasted for nearly a thousand years including the era when Rome ruled over the area. Today the complex encompasses a large museum, oracles, stadiums, theaters and the surrounding supporting community. Many paths lead past columns and marble structures of this bygone era.

We returned to our ship for lunch, relaxation, swimming and exploring the small attractive town of Itea Still hoping to solve my photo uploading issue.

Third Day in Athens

Today, August 20th, we will have a short tour of Athens with our group of OAT travelers, some free time to visit one of many city museums and then head for our 50 passenger ship, Athena, leaving from the port city of Piraeus. We stopped to view the changing of the guard with their colorful shoes and pleated skirt. Although there has been much publicity about the turmoil in Greece due to financial cut backs there is little evidence of that aside from the numerous graffiti messages on building walls. Athens is generally considered to be the graffiti capital of the world, a label the city seems to embrace. Overall Athens is clean and functioning like a normal large metropolis.

Second Day in Athens

Today we arose for a quick start to tour the Acropolis before the heat set in. A strong breeze kept the temperature down but at times nearly blew us off the mountain. Athens now charges 12 euros for entry but the money is being well spent along with that gathers from the EU in restoration of the temples and walk ways. The site is so much nicer than what we had experienced 30 years earlier. Our walk then took us to the new (5 years old) Acropolis Museum for 6euros. This is a fabulous museum with great displays of statues, frezes, vases and artifacts salvaged from the ruins of the temples. Although there has been much distruction and pilfering from invaders and others the the display of these historical treasures are very impressive. Back to our hotel to await a reception and dinner with other travelers on our Dalmatian Coast cruise. Although we have taken great pictures of the Acropolis and other parts of Athens I found that my software is not allowing me to attach them to this blog. Hopefully I will find a solution around this problem.

First Day in Athens

Having left SFO at 7am on Wednesday and arrived in Athens at 10am on Thursday we took a walk around the lower level of the Acropolis and had dinner at a restaurant with a great view of the illuminated Parthenon. Remainder of evening was spent walking through the Placa, a pedestrial-only center populated with many restaurants and shops. This large gathering area is loaded with tourists and locals out for a good time. Some street musicians perform here also. A short taxi ride home for 3.5 euros and a night's rest. No photos yet to post.

On our Way to Croatia

Miriam and I are about to leave in two days for our trip with OAT (Overseas Adventure Tours) on a small 50 passenger boat leaving from Greece and traveling along the Dalmatian Coast. Everyone who has been there or seen pictures tells us it is very, very beautiful. We will post pictures and narratives as we travel along.