Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Corfu, Greece (4/30/2025)

Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Kérkyra/Corfu is our third Greek island, the largest island in the Ionian Sea.
Corfu's Old Town is widely considered one of the 'best-preserved' medieval towns in Europe.
Our morning included shore excursion took us up on
Mount Kanoni that took its name from the cannon
that was installed by the French in 1798
after the fall of the Republic of Venice
Mount Kanoni view of the Ionian Sea to the left and Halikiopoulou Lagoon to the right, as well as ...
Holy Monastery of Panagia Vlacherna (17C) that was a nunnery
On the way back to the city of Corfu, we passed Mon Repos Estate where Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born. He married Princess Elizabeth of England in 1946 and took the title of Duke of Edinburgh. Elizabeth became Queen in 1952.
The clear waters of Garitsa Bay with mullet perhaps
The Old Fortress (15C CE when the Venetians replaced
the 12C Byzantine fortifications)
The Venetians dug a moat to separate the Old Fortress
from the mainland
Statue (1718, by Antonio Corradini) of
Matthias von der Schulenburg, the last
great general of the Republic of Venice
Palace of St Michael and St George (1819-1824,
by George Whitmore in Neoclassical style)
is now the Corfu Museum of Asian Art
Spianada Square (16C) is the largest square
in Greece and the Balkans
Spianada Square Cistern once supplied fresh water to the city
Liston Arcade (1807-1814 during French occupation)
is a located on a pedestrian street of the same name
French influence is also seen in the balconies
Shards of terra cotta are seen on the streets after the
smashing of Botides/clay pots filled with water on
Holy Saturday as part of Easter celebrations;
most of the pots are thrown from the balconies
Narrow streets have multiple clothes lines
stretched from building to building
Catholic Cathedral of St James and
St Christopher (early 20C after
being bombed in 1944)
Catholic Cathedral of St James and
St Christopher interior
Old Town Hall (1663-1693) started as a meeting place
for Venetian noblemen
In 1720 the building became the first Greek
opera house, then in 1903 the Town Hall
Vrachlioti Square, the location for the Easter
Mastela tradition where a barrel is filled with
water and passers-by drop in coins; after
the tossing of Botides, church bells announce
the First Resurrection and the start of a race
to reach the barrel, dive in, and retrieve the coins
Shop window
Butcher shop
Paving stones in black and white; the
story is that the black stones are a gift of
gratitude from the city of Naples after
the people of Corfu raised money to
assist the victims of the 1906
eruption of Mount Vesuvius
Greek Orthodox Church of St Spyridon
(1589-1590) holds the relics of St Spyridon
(no photos allowed), and Belltower, the
tallest in the Ionian islands
Candles are lit outside the church
Balconies with laundry and flower pots
Ice cream
Bakery
North Gate (15C)
Ginger kumquat soda
Corfu Beer (much better than Mamos)
One order of grilled sardines
New Fortress (1576-1645)
Holy Church of Kyra Phaneromeni/Virgin Mary
of the Foreigners (1869, for refugees from Epirus, Greece
who were persecuted by the Turks)
Iroon Square with a statue of
Greek Prime Minister Georgiou Theotoki
Back on Viking Saturn, we finished another
1000-piece jigsaw puzzle
Departing from Corfu, we can see the Old Fortress on
the left, and the New Fortress on the right
Sunset over the Ionian Sea

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Olympia, Greece (4/29/2025)

Monday, April 28, 2025
Because we were able to see the Acropolis yesterday, we had a day off today.
We had breakfast at Mamsen's, which features
Norwegian cuisine, including 'Mom's' waffles 
We also did a couple loads of laundry

Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Katakolon Harbor as seen from our stateroom
Our morning shore excursion took us to the
archaeological site of Olympia, and then we
had to cross the Kladeos River bridge
The Kladeos River, in addition to the nearby Alfeios River,
may have been the two rivers harnessed by the
mythical Hercules to clean the Augean Stables
Cercis siliquastrum/European Redbud has
blossoms and leaves at the same time
How can you tell if these are Roman or Greek ruins?
The Romans used the thinner yellow Roman bricks
Section of the gymnasium (2C BCE), which was the
venue for athletes to train for the ancient Olympic Games
More of the gymnasium, which was for physical training,
as well as education in music, math, grammar and reading
Palaestra (3C BCE) was the training area for wrestlers
Philippeion Temple (3C BCE) is a 
circular building to celebrate a
battle victory by Philip of Macedon
and was completed by his son,
Alexander the Great
Temple of Hera (c 590-580 BCE) is the oldest temple
at Olympia
Our guide, Dimitra, shows a
rendering of the Temple of Hera
The Altar of Hera is where the Olympic torch is lit, even today
Nymphaeum (156-160 CE) supplied fresh spring water
Metroön/temple (4C BCE) dedicated to Rhea/mother of the gods
Steps to the twelve treasuries (6C BCE) that were used
to store votive offerings by Greek colonies
On the road leading to the stadium were pedestals
of statues of the Olympic winners
Location of Echo Stoa, a colonnade with acoustics
such that a sound was repeated seven times
Entering the stadium (776 BCE)
'Athletes' coming out of the stadium 'tunnel'
The stadium is 212.54 m/697.3' long
The judges' stand is across the 'track'
During the 2004 Summer Olympics this
was the venue for the shot put
The starting line
Oak trees were planted at the Temple of Zeus,
as a symbol of his strength and power
Temple of Zeus (472-456 BCE)
The Temple of Zeus was made with a coarse local
shell conglomerate that was once covered with stucco
Base of Statue (420 BCE, by Paeonios)
of Nike/Victory
Temple of Zeus with one column rebuilt to show its height,
and others left as they were when pulled down
during the Byzantine period of Christianity
Bouleuterion/Council House (96-4C BCE) where the
Olympic athletes and judges made their oaths of fair play
Leonidaion/Hostel (330 BCE) where dignitaries and
athletes lodged during the Olympic Games
Theokoleon/Priest's House (5C BCE)
Free time in the town of Olympia;
the main street of Praxiteles Kondylis
Beekeeper mannequin and honeycomb
frame at a shop selling honey
Town Square
Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Sculpture of an Olympian shot putter
Mamos Beer was created in 1876
and re-released in 2017
Torch of Peace (1992, by Georgios Glyptis
and George Schbatsampaia) is based
on Nike/the winged goddess of victory
Bronze tripod cauldron like those that were
awarded to victors in the Olympic Games