Last Day.

After the ancient city of Corinth, I toured the acropolis of Corinth, a.k.a. Acrocorinth, that overlooked the ancient city. The fortress of the Acrocorinth was the last line of defense in southern Greece, because it commanded the isthmus and prevented enemies from entering the Peloponnese Peninsula. It is the largest and oldest acropolis on the peninsula, and from what I've seen it is the best preserved. The view from the top was spectacular!

Do you see a face?

How about now?

Uh-Oh... Time to leave! LoL.

Next, I toured the Epidaurus theatre. Built in 300 B.C., it was the most famous and best preserved ancient theatre in Greece. Seating 12,000 easily, it is still in use today. The Epidaurus theatre comes alive every summer with its venues of scheduled concerts, plays, and symphonies. The acoustics are so perfect there that the merest whisper can be heard in the top row.

After my tours I headed back to the small seaside town of Napflio, where I've been staying and enjoyed my last evening in Greece drinking vino and watching the sun dip into the water. It was a great vacay and one that I'll never forget. It was my second trip to Greece. The first time was spent on the island of Corfu shopping, sunbathing, and hitting the live dinner shows that enticed guests to drink ouzo, yell "Opaaaa!", and join hands in a large circle to dance merrily to the lively sounds of the bouzouki. THIS trip focused more on the ancient history of Greece, and I loved it also!

I hope everyone experiences Greece for themselves. Word!

Ancient City of Corinth

On my last day of Athens, I toured the ancient city of Corinth, located 50 miles SW of Athens on the Peloponnese Peninsula. The site goes back to the Neolithic period (6000 B.C.). At one point, Corinth rivaled Athens in wealth due to its proximity to the isthmus and shipping ports therein. The Corinthians contributed to the classical style of architecture with their ornate use of slender fluted columns, elaborate pillar crownings, and flourishes of leaves and scrolls. Corinth was also 1 of 9 Greek-sponsored city-states to send colonies to Egypt to increase trade between the two ancient civilizations in 657 B.C. Today the ancient city of Corinth lies in fragments. The Temple of Apollo stands at the forefront, and the rest of the city is spread out in rubbled wonder.

The Acropolis of the Mycenae

After I crossed the Corinth Canal, I headed to the acropolis of the Mycenae. The Mycenaeans were the first true Greek civilization (1580-1100 B.C.). They built palaces on hilltops fortified by large blocks of stones called "Cyclopean walls", bc the ancients believed that only the mythical one-eyed giant, Cyclops, could have formed them. Construction of this acropolis (city in the air) began in 15 century B.C. However, it was destroyed by fire in 12 century B.C. with the collapse of the Mycenaean dominance.



The best known feature of the acropolis was the "Lion Gate," which was built in 1250 B.C. The two lions facing each other represented power and dominance.

As I entered through the Lion Gate, I immediately looked down to the remains of the lower city that primarily consisted of houses and a large circular tomb.

I loved being high up with the clouds!

I looked through a grated hole of an ancient window,

and another one below that was somewhat broken.

As I left the acropolis of the Mycenae, I captured the photo above which reminded me of a smoking volcano. What do you think?

The Corinth Canal

Going...

Going...

Going...

Gone!

Last Monday, the 5th day of my Greek vacay, I left Delphi and stopped briefly at the Corinth Canal for quick pics. Although it was completed in 1893, the idea for the canal goes back 2,000 years! The strip of land that connects the Peloponnese Peninsula and mainland Greece is called an “isthmus”. In ancient times, travelers on the isthmus could see from one end to the other. Today the isthmus is cut by the Corinth Canal, which is 4 miles long, 75 ft wide, and 26 ft deep. The Corinth Canal also connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Aegean Sea. It's interesting to note that ancient Greeks didn't construct the canal for fear of Poseidon's wrath. Thankfully, the god of the sea approved the construction, because boats no longer have to travel 185 nautical miles and several days journey to get to the other side.