Nafplion

Greece is so dang pretty! The bus ride from Olympia to Nafplion (via Pyrgos and Corinth) went right along the northern coast of the Peloponnese. We had a view of the coast of the Grecian mainland almost the entire ride. We also had a good view of tons orange and olive groves, which we're used to by now, and of cane, which was not prominent in Spain or Italy.

Old Nafplion (or Navplion, or Nafplio) has a peninsula-like coastline. A paved boardwalk extends around the entirety of its finger, offering really nice sunsets and close-up views of the beautiful water.

Sitting on a rock next to the clear/turquoise water, I can't help but think about mermaids and pirates and the strength of Poseidon and the fervor of Odysseus. On the land side, the terrain looks just like the setting for New Testament stories.

Perhaps I’m romanticizing the atmosphere here. But the overwhelming history is part of the experience. Or maybe the overwhelming experience is part of the history. Keats and Shelly and James Taylor all found inspiration for their art on the rocks of the Mediterranean.

Now tell me that landscape doesn't make you think of Jesus.
Actually, it should make you think of Paul, because this is ancient Corinth as seen from a bus window.

Anyway, that's the mindset I was in the first day or so that we were in Napflion. I’m not going to write a book about it, but I feel good being here.


Ironically, Greece used to be forested, but rigorous olive production several millennia ago did away with most other kinds of plant life. So now we have this! Which I think is pretty in its own right, really.

Other than a great sunset, rocky topography, and beautiful blue water, Nafplion boasts three Venetian-style fortresses. My personal favorite is on an island about 600 meters out from the port. We took a boat ride out there one afternoon and explored its nooks and crannies. If Alan and I ever decide to marry each other again, the wedding will be here.

Bourtzi, the island fortress

Close-up of Bourtzi

The first fortress we checked out, though, was the Palamidi, 200-odd meters high overlooking the bay and the old city. The 999 steps made my calves incredibly sore for a few days. I guess lugging those backpacks around works different leg muscles. 

Palamidi Fortress

Half-way there!

The fortresses are all in pretty good shape, compared to the old ruins we've been seeing, as they were created in the 18th century AD. But the real reason to climb this guy is for the view of the city and the ocean, like the first picture in this post. It's nice. 

We also popped in at the archaeological museum, where we saw lots of pottery from as late as 30000 BCE and a suit of Mycenaean armor - most artifacts were found at the nearby site of Tiryns, and at the Popular Art Museum, which holds traditional clothing from just a few centuries ago. 

Those ancient Mycenaeans were goofballs.

There's a lot of history here. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around much that happened before the current era, especially when I see relatively-recent structures and artifacts the very next minute.

But back to the 13th century BCE! We made a day trip to Mycenae (pronounced Mih-kee-ness in Greek), less than an hour's bus ride from Nafplion. It was a cold day, so we got more out of the museum than the ruins, but that's generally the outcome for me at archaeological sites anyway. I struggle to imagine how the buildings looked three thousand years ago.

The Lion Entrance with some thick walls, perhaps built by cyclopes?