Mytilene, Greece

Sun, June 23

This morning we had to tender for the first time to the beautiful island of Mytilene dating to the 11th century B.C. Population 100,000 and the 3rd largest island in Greece, it boasts more than ten million olive trees. So it was fitting that we visited the Olive Press Museum to find out the history of olive oil production. Very interesting exhibition of the first steam-powered factory built in 1887. The machinery has been restored and is in use today.

Although the island welcomes tourists you will find no huge resorts and hotels here. It is still a very simple and unspoilt island; very fertile with vegetation right down to the sea. We saw gardens for the first time since leaving Singapore and roses seem to do particularly well here.

Houses are painted in pale colours, beige, pink or blue, mostly two storeys and look quite spacious.

There are many styles – Neo Classical, Baroque, Gothic and European; amazingly, they all blend in. Rustic stone mansions with gardens filled with jasmine, palms and fruit trees. Small wrought iron balconies – very lovely.

As it was Sunday, all businesses were closed. All (and I mean all) the men in the small villages were in the cafes. Where are the women, we asked, to which our tour guide explained that they were all at home cooking. No females were in sight as we passed through several villages; the only exceptions being the souvenir shops and around the port.

Of course we had to visit some churches with their beautiful icons and impressive chandeliers, and we could not help but notice the imposing Mytilene Fortress built in the 5th century to protect the island from pirates.

Beaches are pebbly however the water is sparkling and crystal clear and you can either swim for free or pay two Euros to swim in the area with banana lounges, a bar, music and umbrellas.

We loved Mytilene – what a great holiday destination!

Athens, Greece

Sat, June 22

Our tour began with a stop at the Old Olympic Stadium; built on the foundations of a 4th century B.C. stadium, this stadium hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The only marble stadium in the world, this is where the Olympic torch is lit.

Next was a guided tour of the National Archeological Museum of Athens. We took so many photos here; it houses one of the richest collections of Greek antiquities in the world, including the Mask of Agamemnon and the Statue of Posideon. We also spent a lot of time in the exhibition of the Antikythera shipwreck which is dated to 60-50 B.C. Treasures recovered included bronze and marble sculpture, glass vessels and golden jewellery.

We then drove on to the highlight of the day, climbing 80 steps through the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis, the Pantheon which is an immense structure and the sacred site of Erectheum and the graceful Porch of the Caryatids. We walked on some of the original pavement – very carefully – some areas were so worn that a type of membrane had been laid with concrete over the top for safety.

After all this exercise we went to a lovely restaurant for a buffet lunch, lamb meatballs, pasta, moussaka, a filo cheese pie, greek salads, breads accompanied by red and white wines…delicious!

After lunch we walked to The Plaka, a shopping district with cobblestone lanes, colourful stores, tempting cafes and local tavernas.

We liked Athens very much. The people are so friendly and it is a lovely city. No highrise here, as no building can be higher than the Acropolis. We packed a lot into the day and it was great to finally get back “home” to have a refreshing swim. We ate so much at lunch we didn’t need to eat any dinner!

Mask of Agamemnon

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Jerusalem

Thurs, June 20

The Bible came alive for us today as we started our tour from the port of Ashdod in Israel heading to Jerusalem which is a city sacred to three major religions.

Our first stop was to see the Tomb of King David atop Mount Zion. Men and women entered from separate sides to view the impressive tomb.

The next stop was to the Western or Wailing Wall, the only remaining piece of Jerusalem’s Second Temple. This is the most holy Jewish site in the world, where people come to place their written prayers within the cracks between its massive stones. Men and women were segregated once again. (We have since heard that there was an incident there the day after our visit where someone was shot and killed but no other details.)

Also in this vicinity were boys’ celebrating their Barmiszvah’s, being the Thursday following their 13^th birthdays. Several boys were with their male relatives at the Western Wall with the women standing on plastic chairs to see them over the dividing wall. They were then taken through the streets under a canopy with their families all singing and playing music.

Moving on, we saw the room where the Last Supper took place as well as where Jesus was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate. Next was the Garden of Gethsemane with olive trees many centuries old. Jesus was praying in this garden when he was arrested.

We then entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – this 12^th century church contains quite a number of chapels and shrines. Among the most important places are the elevated Chapel of the Cross, marking Calvary and I was able to touch the nearby Stone where Jesus’ body was laid when He was taken from the cross and prepared for burial. Under a large rotunda is the location of the Tomb of Christ, covered by a small chapel and is also the site of the Resurrection. We also visited the nearby Church of All Nations, relatively modern in comparison and built by all the nations of the world.

After such a busy morning, we stopped for lunch then continued on to walk through the old Jewish Quarter, from north to south and east to west. This included the Via Dolorosa (or Sorrowful Way) tracing the Stations of the Cross. Christ’s route from the seat of judgement to his crucifixion at Calvary.

Finally, on the way back to the ship we saw the field where David met Goliath. We had an excellent tour guide who entertained us with many stories from the bible. Such an awe-inspiring day.