Vacation Pics

Left Athens early morning in a nice air conditioned bus with a lot of leg

room.  We were lucky to have clear skies and warm weather for the whole

trip.

 

We stopped at the Corinth Canal which connects the Gulf of Corinth with the

Saronic Gulf, it was completed in 1893 but was an idea and dream that dates

back over 2,000 years.  The strip of land connecting the Peloponnese and

mainland Greece is only four miles at it's narrowest point.  Before the

canal was constructed, ships had to travel around the peninsula which added

approximately 185 nautical miles and several days more to their journey.

It's still in use today but only by small vessels.

 

High above the modern town of Mycenae are the ruins of an ancient city

state, the ruins of Ancient Mycenae date back to the second millennium BC.

Though most of the original city has been destroyed over time, parts of the

Acropolis still remain.  The Acropolis sits atop an impressive mountain and

is flanked on either side by taller mountains forming a fortification for

the site, it also has scenic views.  Burial halls, dug into the mountain

also remain.  The Lions Gate is the main entrance to the city.  The lions,

with their fore paws on an alter of some sort was suppose to represent the

Mycenaean's power (I'm amazed at how these thing could have been moved).

The riches of kings were uncovered in the various burial sites and many of

those are on display at the Athens' Archaeological Museum.

 

Unfortunately my pictures of the "Treasuries" of Atreus and his sons did not

turn out.  The treasuries were subterranean buildings of beehive shape, one

is still almost perfect, and were probably the sepulchers of noble families.

 

Next Olympia

Thanks Barry & Louise D.