Turkish Rug 2010

The symbols are old family crests, each having a different meaning. Plus they represent an area and family. The salesman was explaining all of them to me, but of course I didn't retain any of it. Just that I fell in love with the carpet. We had to sign the back of the carpet so you would know that you actually got the carpet you had picked out, and the carpet hadn't been switched after you left the showroom.

My Turkish rug just arrived today from Capadoccia, Turkey via Atlanta. I just love it. The photo doesn't really do it justice. It's so beautiful. The Rug Factory had so many beautiful rugs it was hard to choose just one, you wanted to buy one of each. Several people bought two. I hadn't planned to buy a rug, I was thinking more of a gold bracelet, but I got to thinking I have lot's of gold, but not a Turkish rug. When they offered to pay shipping and do customs how could I resist. Rusty likes it too. It's a hall runner about 8 ft long. Looks beautiful in my hallway in the town house. Gold will be next trip. Don and Geralynn are just leaving Athens tomorrow for the states. Their blog has some beautiful pictures of Santorini and Mikinos if you haven't been following it, you should. http://www.myrah.net/ and then go to Greece 2010 awesome photos. Geralynn is a great story teller too.

Perfect afternoon in Greece

The perfect way to leave Greece, eating and taking pictures. I'll post more when I arrive home.

Our seaside restuarant with a great view, weather was perfect.

This was a veal hamburger and fries. Tomatoe with feta cheese and olives.

To see more photo's go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/greecelastdayvisittolocalseaside2010

Corinth Fortress Climb

After the canal we headed to another fortress high on the hill. This one over looks the whole Corinith valley and waterway, Needlees to say it was another one of those days where the climb was straight up and on cobblestones. The cobblestones have become so worn and smooth that they are slippery even when dry. I can imagine how dangerous they would be when wet. There were different levels to the fortress, at the third level I stopped. I was high enough and the view was spectacular. Don & Geralynn continued up another two or three levels. We had a great time climbing around in the ruins wondering how did they do this? As we left we were still puzzled as to how they could get all that stone up there? Down below was another ruins area of a more ancient city of Corinith where there were Roman columns and lot's of rubble. the entrance was locked so we just peaked in and continued on home. The roundtrip drive out to the canal and the fortress was 186 miles so we had a pretty good day. Traffic going back into Athens was pretty heavy as it was the end of a four day Easter Holiday. This is the end of my vacation too. But what a vacation. I will post my picasa album album after I return home.

This was our lunch spot, how nice they left us a table and chairs.

Entrance gate to Akrokorinthos from the 657BC

For more photo's go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/greececorinithfortresswalledcity2010

Cornith Canal, Greece

Our last outing with me before I return home was to Corinith, I wanted to see the Corinith Canal. It's not nearly as big as the Panama Canal but it was dug out of solid rock in the early 1890's and opened in 1896. It cut 161 miles off the route to Athens. Small freighters, small cruise ships, sail boats and things like that can pass through. None of our modern day super tankers or cruise ships its just too narrow. But it was spectacular to see. Looking down over the bridge you keep saying how'd they do that? It is amazing. On the old bridge underneath there is a bungee jumping platform, so if you're feeling brave you couuld try that during the summer months. Not me of course.

It was quite spectacular to look down into the canal.

For more photo's go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/greececorinithcanal2010 Another cool blog with lot's of information about the canal check out: http://www.sailblogs.com/member/quilcene

2004 Olympic Greece Rowing Center

Easter morning before we joined the group for Easter dinner we took alittle drive out to the Olympic Rowing Center Where the 2004 Olympics were held, it was less than 3 miles from their home. So off we went to take a peek. Of course we couldn't actually get on the grounds but we could stand and look through the fence. There was a group of rowers out that morning using the facility to train. The water was smooth as glass. Seems like alot of money to spend for such a short time. They don't do a good job of maintaining the area around it either, lot's of weeds and bushes. Just a short distance from the rowing center is the starting point for the Marathon Race also. The main street is called Marathon. Seems this is where the ancient 1st Marathon runner ran taking news of a battle to Athens and his grave is also out here. Apparently that's why they call it a marathon.

Starting point.

Below Finish line and grandstand. More photo's: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/greeceolympicrowingcenter2010

Greece Home Exchange

Kitchen looking into the living room

Living Room

My purple bedroom

http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/greecehomeexchange2010

Easter Greek Sunday

Sunday morning the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. Everyone had been telling us it always rains on Easter, well not this year. We brought the California sunshine.The father (George our host) and sons had prepared long racks of lamb the night before. They went out doors and started to BBQ about 8AM. The women were busy preparing the other dishes in the house. Around 1:30PM the music started getting loud so we ventured down to join in the activities. folks were dancing and singing. The food started being served and it never stopped, half of the things I have no clue what they were, but they were delicious. The music seemed to be Greek folk songs and love songs, everyone knew the words so they all sang along, even as they were eating. Many would get up and dance and then return to eating. They are very passionate about their music. Our host's son-in-law was the DJ, he was a George Clooney look alike only much better looking and younger with more hair. He loved to sing as he played the music and he'd get up and dance solo and sometimes with his wife. His wife danced the whole afternoon, she's very passionate just like George about the music. Needless to say the whole afternoon is an experience we'll never forget. I'll post my picasa album soon, I got some great video and Don is uploading them to UTube so you can see them. you may have to go to his blog to see the link: http://www.myrah.net/ and then click the Greece 2010 link.

George and his daughter and his grandsons start the dancing.

Easter eggs are all red! Special game is played with the eggs.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/greekeaster2010

Greece Home Exchange

Yes this is our home away from home in Greece, short about a 45 minute drive out of Athens very close to where they started the Olympic Marathon Race event and held the Olympic Rowing events. We have gone over and checked out both sites, I will post some pictures laater. But this is my last night in Greece, my flight leaves for home at 1:10PM tomorrow so wanted to get a few posted from our adventures here in the Athens area before I leave. The weather has changed today too. It started raining and there has been some lighting and lots of wind. Hope it clears up before my flight. this is the living room and dining room of our home. Kitchen is just behind the counter in the lower left corner. the purple room is my bedroom. they must have known I was coming. We're on the whole second floor. the owners are in their home on the bottom floor. Don is getting into the car they are letting us use for all our trips. Yard and patio of main house. Very nice location about two blocks from a very nice beach, with lots of great resturants. I will have to post a second post with the pictures. sorry.

Athens & the Acropolis & Parthenon

Saturday we set off for downtown Athens to tour the Acropolis. Don set the GPS and away we went, we considered riding the bus and Metro but it meant two bus changes and a metro change. So we opted for the car ride. We were so lucky, Don found a parking spot at the base just below where you buy your entrance tickets. We got out and headed right to buy our tickets, at the ticket office the gentleman smiled and said no fee today,"free because of Easter Holiday." We saved 36 Euro....we really felt blessed. The view of the Parthenon was stunning. I have seen many picutes of it in my lifetime but of course nothing is like seeing it for real. There is a short hike up to the top and you pass lots of parts of various temples and rubble, being catalogued for future use. There were not huge crowds with it being the Easter weekend, the Greeks really stay home and celebrate with their families. In 1456 the Turks arrived and converted the Parthenon into a mosque and added a minaret. The Turks had no respect for the ancient history. They tore lead clamps out of the walls to make bullets. I'm not going to try tell you all the history of the Parthenon, but it was considered the finest temple in the ancient world. The Parthenon is in the condition it is in, not so much from time, but from war. In 1687 the Venetian Army bombed Athens and laid seige to the Acropolis and a bomb struck the Parthenon blowing out the center. The Venetians considered it a lucky hit of mortar fire that ripped the center out of the Parthenon and wiped out the Turkish defenders. In 1801 Lord Elgin carted off pieces to London, and they are displayed as the 'Elgin Marbles." Athens has requested their return but hasn't had much luck in getting them returned. So now you know alittle bit about the history. But what you should know is that it truly is worth a visit. Just not in the summer time when it would be really hot. It was a perfect day when we were there.Afterwards we had a great lunch, right accross from the entrance gate with a great view of the whole Acropolis hill.

Cheryl & Geralynn enjoy the view, with Rick Steeves in hand.

Cheryl in front of the Parthenon

The view below is what we could see from a hill accross from the Acropolis.

more photo's go to http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/acropolisparthenon

Lindos Fortress & Rhodes Island Tour

We set off early in the rental car to explore Rhodes, Don had set the GPS with all the sites he wanted to see. His GPS worked very well in Greece. Our first stop was a hilltop fortress called Lindos. Again one of those places high on the rocky hill top with walls all around. Sea on one side and steep cliffs on another making it very hard for invaders too get in. You could ride a donkey to the top if you choose too.(for a price of course) We choose to walk. I've really done alot of walking this trip. Once we reached the top there were the ruins of an ancient temple with the columns and steps. It was amazing what the work must have been to bring the rock and stones up to this site to build this. We spent several hours here before heading down and on around the island. When you looked out from the top, all you could see were white little homes in the village below and the beautiful blue sea.
We continued on around the island to the windward side, it was much more green, pine trees more crops and prettier. The other side was the leeward side, dry, and rocky. I liked the green. this was the side the air port is on. We finally arrived back in the main city of Rhodes. It is very modern, lot's of expensive shops. There was a Starbucks directly accross the street from our hotel and a McDonalds around the corner, I have to confess I actually went there that evening for dinner. I was having a Mcdonald's attack. But I had deep fried shrimp it was served kinda like we get the McNuggets in the states.. I will post my Picasa link for the album later. Enjoy..Here is the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/RhodesIslandTour

Rhodes, Greece Old Town

After arriving on Rhodes we checked into our hotel and quickly set about to explore the old town on foot. It's surrounded by an wall, with lot's of ruins to see. Cobblestone streets with little shops. Only problem most of the shops weren't open because the tourist season hasn't really started yet in Greece, not until the middle or late part of April. So we really had most of the streets and old town to ourselves. Very interesting, lot's of photo op's and I'm sure Geralynn gets really tired of walking with Don and I as we stop so often to take pictures. We wandered around the streets until it was getting dark. Lot's of white with the blue roofs and all the things you would expect to see in a Greek village. finally it was time to search for a resturant for dinner. We found a great little restuarant and had a very nice dinner, I had french fries with my dinner. Then off to the hotel. Don & Geralynn and I were sharing a room to save on expenses so that was a little cozy, but it was ok. the next morning we had rented a car to go off and explore the whole island of Rhodes .

Link to Picasa album: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/oldtownrhodes