Continuation of the 2025 Oosterdam trip .....
Olympia - Oct 20th - Monday
We booked our private guide from Viator - (slight frustration in that the ticket or tour description did not let us know the TIME we were to meet 'Nassos') but we left the ship as soon as we were able to disembark and quickly found him. We climbed in our comfortable newish Mercedes van that was definitely "tricked out". Driver/guide was nice, informative and definitely willing to please. He also was very proud of his position in his family and village area.
OLYMPIA - it deserves the 'caps' !
It's almost impossible to describe - The site is so massive, so important and so filled with names of Greek gods that it is overwhelming. The gods were mainly the 12 Olympians but the Romans later adopted these gods and gave them roman names and slightly new attributes. The games are thought to have started in the 8th century BC and ran until the 4th century AD. They ran every 4 years and if there were wars going on during that time the visitors to Olympia were granted safe passage. They were restored in 1894 on a global basis but obviously not in Olympia. But the flame is lit at the beginning of every Olympic game in Olympia Greece.
There are approximately 760 buildings on this site in various stages of decay or restoration. The preserve has informative short descriptions of most buildings and how they might have looked (from ancient drawings), what gods they were dedicated to and how it was used.
Phillipeion
The only structure dedicated to a human (Phillip's family which included Alexander the Great)
Temple of Hera - one of the oldest temple in the preserve
This is where the olympic flame is lit every 4 years.
Nymphaeum - home of the nymphs - was a water distribution Sturcture
It was raining when we arrived but we ended up getting a rainbow as a bonus.
entering the stadium
Stadium
looking at the remains of the Temple of Zeus
the Baths - Maybe ?
Earthquakes, war, weather and time seem to have the largest effects on the stuctures. There was not a trace of one of the largest areas - the chariot race track - which was washed out by a river.
After spending 2 hrs in the outdoor area we went to the museum and spent another hour. It was one of the best museums we have visited.
Museum
We were both very impressed with the museum. It was not so crowded with items that you got tired. The displays were spaced apart so I never felt crowded.
Griffin
bronze helmets
Nike of Paeonios
pieces of bronze hair from some of the recovered statues
famous Broze horse 5th century BC
Hermes of Proxiteles
Messenger of the gods charged by Zeus to take the infant Dionysos (Bacchus- roman one) to the Nymphs to nurse him
We left the museum and did a little refrigerator magnet shopping. We joined back up with our tour guide and had lunch at his family restaurant where his sister cooked. I had a chicken gyro and Beth had Souvlakia - His cousin raided the family bar across the street for Ouzo - I loved it of course (black jelly beans) and Beth liked it.
our driver/guide on right - rest are cousin and brother
family restaurant
Olive mill stop next
STOP- just notes below -- will pick up later
monday 20th Olympia
raining
nassos private tour -- lunch at sisters restaurant - ouzo - rainbow= huge olive oil mill - museum
tuesday 21st - no tour DIY Crete - caught shuttle to Chania - lighthouse shopping and fat cat took a double lenght bus shuttle 20 min round trip less than 4 EU to Chania and walked around
port talk gave us some pointers on what we might enjoy. Lighthouse, pink mosque/now an art gallery but that we couldn't get into
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Harbor interesting with the 16th century Venetian Shipyards. Orginally built for construction and maintenance of Venetian galleys but later when the Ottomans invaded Crete it was used for storing food during the sieges.
after shoe and wrap shopping and accidentally running into the Tic Tok famous fat cat, Chonkus Maximus, we meandered our way thru the charming narrow alleys back to the square where our double bus shuttle was waiting for us.
Beautiful sunset and we Actually saw the green flash at sunset - 1st time for me !! 2nd for Beth- no photo of the flash - sorry
tuesday 21st - no tour DIY Crete - caught shuttle to Chania - lighthouse shopping and fat cat took a double lenght bus shuttle 20 min round trip less than 4 EU to Chania and walked around
port talk gave us some pointers on what we might enjoy. Lighthouse, pink mosque/now an art gallery but that we couldn't get into and cat
-
Harbor interesting with the 16th century Venetian Shipyards. Orginally built for construction and maintenance of Venetian galleys but later when the Ottomans invaded Crete it was used for storing food during the sieges.
after shoe and wrap shopping and accidentally running into the Tic Tok famous fat cat, Chonkus Maximus, we meandered our way thru the charming narrow alleys back to the square where our double bus shuttle was waiting for us.
Beautiful sunset and we Actually saw the green flash at sunset - 1st time for me !! 2nd for Beth- no photo of the flash - sorry
22nd wednesday Piraeus / Athens
Paula and Bob arrive - lazy did not get off boat
thursday - port of Ka...... (olympia start point) walk about the port - cold medicine shirt gelato greek seasonings - trivia first dinner with paula and bob
Friday - walked around port talked to an elderly Albanian gentleman boaught a fig cake - potatoe chips (missing my junk food)
