A relatively short drive south from Salzburg to the pretty ski resort town of Grossarl nestled in a picturesque, steep V-shaped valley. On either side of the steep valley ski lodges and traditional farm houses are surrounded by swathes of manicured lawns and pine forests. How do they mow those lawns?? The town is quite busy, proving to be a popular summer resort town too, for hikers, bike riders, para gliders and tourists. There are several spa hotels in town and a gondola that operates to the top of the nearest peak and links to other gondolas and hiking trails on surrounding mountains. A quick walk around town, which is across the creek and up the road from the hotel, and the heavens open. Luckily I’d bought a new, bright orange brolly in Vienna (38 deg. C and Rob asked ‘Why’??) – so we were prepared!
The pretty village of Grossarl.
Pine plantations, cutting, hauling and carving timber are big in the area.
Where’s Wally?
A rain-drenched drive up to the head of the valley and a welcome drink at the local, weathered timber inn.
A drive to the end of the Grossarl valley to the National Park entrance at Huttschlag.Which drink has more alcohol? My alcohol free beer or Lynn’s coffee with a shot of Schnapps?High waterfalls on a misty day. Only 13 Deg C today.
31 July, 2015
A new day dawns with brilliant sunshine.
The mandatory view from the balcony of our hotel in Grossarl – in 1 direction up the valley.Mown grass and pretty ski lodges as viewed up the hill to the right of the hotel balcony.
We find another panoramic drive nearby – Rossbrandstrasse, behind Radstadt – toll free this time, and wind our way up to the cafe at the top.
The cafe at the end of Rossbrandstrasse.Great views of the high ranges beyond Radstadt.
Amazing views of the Durstein range, this time from the opposite side.
The Dachstein Mountains at over 3,000 meters.
Up close and personal with the local livestock. It’s lovely to hear the sound of their bells as they move around the alpine pastures.
Fat and healthy mountain cows up here.
I’ve been wary of cows since I was a kid on my grandparents’ dairy farm – they were so much taller than I was at the time! But this one turned out to be more skittish than me.
A standoff? Or just having a cow to cow natter?
Isn’t this how you create a ‘boiler maker’?
Schnaps in your beer, dear? What was that cow comment?Some great views from the summit.
On the way back to the hotel we called into the Liechtensteinklamm – an impressive gorge complete with a churning river, waterfall and walkway hewn into or suspended from the rock.
A visit to the Liechtensteinklamm Gorge and waterfall.Plenty of water in this creek.Amazing waterfall and steep gorge with a viewing platform suspended over the river.Dead end for this platform but a good view from up here.Nice and cool in here – and dripping.
1 August, 2015
After we checked out of the Roslehen Hotel we decided to take the gondola up to the summit of Kreuzkogel before we drive the 3 hours to Graz for our next stop.
A mountain hike after a gondola ride from Grossarl to the peak at Kreuzkogel.Still snow up here on the peaks in the middle of summer.These mountain folk are big or Lynn is short.At 2,027 meters above sea level and it is still warm.Lots of alpine wild flowers up here.
Oh – and we discovered how the locals all over Austria keep their steep lawns manicured – a man pushing and hauling a heavy, hand-held, self-propelled mower with a band of shears at the front, starting at the bottom and traversing the steep slope. Then, hand raking the grass to the bottom of the slope (with the help of several other family members), drying it and putting it in the small, wooden huts on the slopes. Must do wonders for your abs, arms and legs! No wonder the blokes wear lederhosen to show them off.
We take the A1 motorway to Salzburg, coming off at the Thalgau exit and passing a sign to the Salzburg Ring. Not to be confused with the ring road, but a race circuit nearby. The Pension is located at the foot of a hill with several other dwellings, faces a pine forest and Mt Gaisberg and has a babbling brook at the end of the garden. It looks like a typical pension – chalet style roof with wooden balconies tiered beneath and festooned with colourful blooms. Luckily we have a corner room which has a balcony and a view of Gaisberg on one side and down the valley towards Salzburg on the other.
The mandatory view from our balcony at Pension Nocksteinblick – Mt Gaisberg at sunset with its communication tower – eerily similar to Canberra’s Black Mountain tower.
Checked in we head off to check out the local area and drive around the largest of the local lakes – Attersee – which Gustav Klimt used to paint during his summers there.
Lake Attersee at Unterach Am Attersee. Clear and very blue water.Lake Attersee is packed with summer tourists but still magnificent.
26 July, 2015
Warm weather for an action-packed day: a venture into Salzburg town – or towns – the old and the new; a drive up Mt Gaisberg and a journey on the Schafbergbahn, the steepest cogwheel railway in Austria.
Salzburg
One of “The Greats” who lived in Salzburg. Franz Schubert.The large baroque fountain in Residenzplatz.Mozart. Another “Great” who lived in Salzburg.Another view of Residenzplatz and the Palace from the Mozart Square.Lots of tourists at the Mozart house in Getreidegasse.The Danube River that splits the “Old” and “New” town sections of Salzburg.The Hohensalzburg Fortress that stands above the Old Town centre of Salzburg.
Gaisberg
View of the Old Town section of Salzburg from Mt. Gaisberg (the hill with the communications tower).
Schafbergbahn
The beginning of the Schafbergbahn cog railway at St. Wolfgang.The steep and slow climb to the top.The little engine that could. The boiler is at an angle so that it is level during the steep climb.The Haus Schaftbergspitze on the edge of the precipice above the end of the rail line.Still warm at 1,783 meters above sea level.The Hills Are Alive ……Lake Attersee on the North East of the Schafberg.A step too far could be your last!The only modern Diesel Electric locomotive on the Schafbergbahn.The railway line cogs.The end of the line.Lynn wanted me to take a photo of the Saint Bernard at the Haus Schafbergspitze.The rugged landscape surrounding the lake.The Dachsteins above Lake Wolfgangsee.Close up – snow on Hoher Dachstein at 2995 meters high.The train on its way back down with Lake Wolfgangsee far below.A postcard from the edge (literally)! Great fun day out. A must for the Salzburg area.
27 July, 2015
An attempt to drive the Loser panoramic road to Altaussee (Eu15 toll to get out the barrier at the other end) was aborted at Bad Aussee due to heavy rain and misty cloud. Now, what could be a good indoor alternative destination?? What about the Designer Outlet on the A10 near Salzburg airport?? A new pair of Asic trainers and a Hugo Boss tuxedo (both heavily discounted) later. Result!
Who me? Anyway, they can’t spell Aussie…
28 July, 2015
A trip to the nearby Berchtesgarden village where Hitler built his summer residence and alternate Third Reich control centre. Another country to add to our list for this trip – Deutschland!
A day to visit the “Other Great” of the Salzburg area (albeit in Germany) – Berchtesgarden.Lots of Schubert and Mozart statues for sale in the historic town centre, but none of Hitler. Why?The Obersalzberg Dokumentation Centre – where Hitler’s Burghof once stood before the allies bombed it during the closing days of WW2.One of the main entrance tunnels to the bunker complex.Even the Nazis were heavily into records management- Bormann’s Filing Room in Hilter’s Burghof bunker complex at Berchtesgarden.The Eagles Nest. This tea house was given to Hitler by Bormann for his 50th birthday.
29 July, 2015
Back to Lake Wolfgangsee for a cruise around the lake on our last day in the Salzburg area. The plan is to board the historic steamer for the cruise, but as rain is threatening and there isn’t much cover on the steamer, we take one of the modern boats.
The view of St. Wolfgangsee Lake from above St. Gilgen.Mist on the hills around Lake Wolfgangsee during our 3 hour boat trip around the lake.Rugged hills around Lake Wolfgangsee.The travel lizard basking in the warm sunshine.St. Wolfgang. Disembark here for the Schafbergbahn Cog railway to the summit.
We reluctantly checked out of our apartment in Vienna and headed to the airport to collect a rental car. The apartment was very modern and well maintained and most importantly was in a quiet area of the first quarter of Vienna. We were only 100 meters from the U2 line and the Ring Tram stop. The surrounding buildings were beautiful 19th Century architecture and the streets were wide and had very little traffic.
Vienna is a beautiful city with lots to see so our 5 days were insufficient to see it all. Perhaps the high 30s temperatures slowed us down a little but we agreed that a return visit would be in order but next time in late Spring or early Autumn. The public transport is excellent and quite inexpensive so our location turned out to be very good. Vienna is very spread out so you have lots of choices about where to stay. The places to see are very wide spread so no matter where you stay you will need to use public transport. A car is redundant in Vienna city but a must for Austria.
We were collected by our driver (online booking of chauffeur-driven cars is easier than finding a taxi for airport transfers in Vienna) at 11:00am and headed back to the airport to collect our hire car.
By midday we were on our way to Wosendorf which is just an hour down the river Danube from Vienna. The plan for the next 4 days is to explore the Danube valley.
Lots of luxury river boats on the Danube. Maybe Harry & Jenny were on one like this last week?
The roads in Austria, as you would expect, are pot-hole free and very tidy. Our Garmin gave us a few bad turns as we left the freeway and headed out to the countryside but we are getting use to “back roads” of each of the countries we visit. We were nearly at our destination when we realised that the Garmin had reverted back to accepting Ferry crossings instead of bridges. We were in no hurry so we accepted the Garmin “hardest way possible” approach and stopped and waited for the very tiny ferry to collect us to cross this wide and very fast running “creek”.
Our Garmin GPS likes the back roads. Now it is taking us over the Danube on a very tiny ferry used mainly by bicyclists.
We were the second of 3 small cars waiting for the ferry along with about 45 bicyclists. It seems that this area is frequented by cyclists and wine drinkers (most fall into both categories). The tourists in this area ride up and down the bike paths alongside the Danube River and drop in at the wineries for long lunches then stagger back to their accommodation by bike in the evenings.
The small village of Weissenkirchen as we cross the Danube on our tiny cable ferry.
The ferry across the fast running Danube is a cable ferry but not as we know it. The ferry is tethered to a cable that is anchored high above the river. The ferry has no engine but uses the fast running current to move the tether cable along the fixed crossing cable. It uses the same principle as a sail. The ferry is “ruddered” at about 25 deg to the current and as it is fixed by way of a pulley wheel to the overhead cable it moves across the river at a good pace. Based on the ferry cost, this is a high margin business.
The fast running Danube.3 cars and 45 bicycles on the ferry from St Lorenz to Weissenkirchen.Our hire car for the next 11 weeks. An Opel Astra.
Our Opel Astra is very comfortable and feels very wide on the back roads of Austria. Compared with our recent VW Polo cars the Astra is a big car and all our luggage fits easily in the boot whereas we normally have one of our suitcases and my backpack on the back seat. The Astra is a petrol engine but I prefer driving a diesel in Europe as the petrol prices are significantly higher than diesel. Unfortunately the Astra drives like a slug and passing other cars requires planning at least 2 hours ahead. The air conditioning in this 36 Deg heat works magnificently and probably explains why there is no power to propel the car forward while the air conditioning is running on full demand.
We arrived at our Pension located in the small village of Wosendorf within the winegrowing area of the Wachau. The Wachau is an association of winegrowers within a demarcated area which follow a strict charter for natural wine production. The Pension/WeinGut has only 2 rooms and on arrival we are given the usual warm welcome and tour of the breakfast area (which is bigger than the 2 rooms combined). Our Hosts speak very little English but we still manage to communicate and complete the pleasantries and required documentation. We are offered a welcome drink of our Host’s own wine label and the lightest of the 3 registered trademarked wines of the Wachau – the Steinfeder. We are pleasantly surprised at how very nice this dry white wine tastes. So surprised in fact that we purchase a bottle for our room at a very reasonable price of Eu6. The wine tastes similar to a Semillon, Savignon Blanc blend with a small amount of Chardonnay. The white wine grape variety is known as Gruner Veltliner. Call it what you like but we just liked drinking it.
Wine produced by our Hosts. Very drinkable and only Eu6 a bottle.The mandatory view from our room in Wosendorf, including a view of the Danube River running parallel to the property 80 meters down the road.
Our room is large and very comfortable. We unpack and make some plans for our 4 day stay in the area. It is hot as hell today and predicted to be the same tomorrow so we will avoid the afternoon heat (either by being in the car touring the area or catching up on the blog in the room) then head out in the evening to explore the villages and eating establishments.
The tiny streets of Wosendorf leading up to some small cellar doors which also serve cold platters (heurigers).
During our walk around the village Lynn manages to find a local wine maker that has a very nice courtyard and kitchen that serves cold platters until midnight each day. We plan to return in the cool of the evening to wine and dine on local produce.
We returned at 8:30pm only to find that the courtyard is filled to capacity with other tourists and locals who had the same idea as us. Not to worry, there is plenty of room inside which is quite cool due to the 1.5 meter thick stone walls. We purchase a bottle of their best quality white wine for a whole Eu7.5 then supplement the wine with a few platters of cold meats, cheese, dips and local Wachauer Laberl (bread rolls) and close off the meal with chocolate cake. It is good that the Pension is only a short 50 meters stagger back.
The cellar door outside seating is packed to capacity for dinner so we ate inside. Cold platters and a cold bottle of local wine for under Eu30 for two (including a tip for our cheeky waiter).
22 July, 2015.
After a very nice breakfast of local produce we take a drive in to the hills above the Danube Valley then on down to Melk. Many of the tiny villages that we drive through are very pretty and are a stark difference to the shabby villages of Italy and Greece. We parked the car in Melk to take a couple of quick photos and in less than 10 minutes we returned to the car to find a local parking officer writing out a parking ticket for us. She was about to put the ticket under our wiper blade when we returned. We explained that we did not have a parking timer and she explained that we could park for free for 90 minutes provided that we had written down our arrival time. We did the dumb tourist play and told her that we had just arrived and did not yet have a parking disk. Once she worked out that we were stupid tourists she tore up the ticket. As soon as we got back we dug out our old parking disk that we bought in Italy last year.
If Greece and Italy had parking officers like Austria their national debt would be repaid in months. There are no illegally parked cars in Austria!
A quick stroll around Melk that nearly cost us a parking ticket.
We returned to our B&B at around 7:00pm but it was still over 30 Deg C so we headed to Durnstein to walk the old town and look for a place to eat.
Burgruine, Durnstein where Richard the Lionheart was held for ransom in 1192.The distinctive blue and white bell tower of the Abbey Church in Durnstein.Austrians in this region know how to do an emergency exit. Head for the nearest glass of wine.Traunergassl – the old Durnstein castle access route to the Danube River.
23 July, 2015
It is predicted to be hot again today so we head off for a drive into the mountains of the Gesause National Park.
The Ski lodge and chair lift near Mariazell.Clear fresh water lake at Mariazell where fully-clad divers emerged at the lake’s edge.Now this is a lake house!The Enns River in the Nationalpark Gesause.Not a hint of the sound of music in these hills. Too steep to climb and sing here.Lots of canoeists rafting down the Enns River.A pretty valley and steep mountains viewed from Hall near the National Park in mid Austria.Still hot in the valley but it looks cool up there.St. Gallen Castle.The Schloss near Oberndorf.
24 July, 2015
Our last day in the Wachau and still hot, so we opt to climb to the castle ruin which overlooks Durnstein in the evening.
View of Durnstein and the Danube River from the Ruine Durnstein Castle.Richard the Lionheart was held captive here in 1190s. Not a bad view and location for incarceration.Hot and sweaty climb up here but worth the effort.
We had a 2-hour flight in from Athens to Vienna on Aegean Airlines that went without incident. Our flight was at 9:00am so were out of bed at an unknown 6:00am. I can’t remember the last time that I was out of bed pre-dawn!
Unfortunately our 5 days in Vienna will be in unbearably high 30s temperature so we will be looking for air conditioned ice cream parlours.
We arrived at our accommodation in Vienna’s First Quarter district. It is a beautifully renovated, spacious, air conditioned, 4th-floor studio apartment in a wide and quiet street just 100 meters from the underground station of Schottenring and close to restaurants and a supermarket. Its decor includes some Gustav Klimt prints, one of Lynn’s favourite artists.
Roman, Rob & Gustav.
One of the advantages of living in an apartment, rather than a hotel, is that we get to meet the locals. Roman has been a fantastic host, providing us with lots of recommendations. He has excellent English, and sense of humour, so we were able to have a great discussion with him about a range of topics. After we unpack and stock the fridge, we take the underground (U-bahn) to MuseumsQuartier to check out Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna’s largest shopping street. Here Rob bought an unusual pair of Donnay matte gold shoes – yes, GOLD – with bright orange laces (!) – a bit like rock climbing shoes to replace his clapped-out trainers.
17 July, 2015
Today a U-bahn ride to Stephansplatz where the Stephansdom is located, then a stroll in 35 deg. C to the State Opera House, the Spanish Riding School and the MuseumsQuartier.
The statue of Josef Haydn in Vienna city centre. No relation to the Aussie Cricketer.Good to see that the Austrians also have trouble with tourists not knowing the difference between Austria and Australia.The Stephansdom is Vienna’s most beloved landmark and Austria’s finest Gothic edifice.The church is currently undergoing cleaning and will look magnificent when finished.
There are more horse carriages than cars in the city centre. Athens and Rome could learn something…
Inside the Stephansdom.The State Opera House.Even the rear entrance to the National Library is immaculate.
The rear of the National Library is adjacent to the rear of Spanish Riding School. A performance was in progress at the Riding School (Piber meets Vienna) and the horses, riders and carriages were using this space as an exit and turning circle.
The Austrian version of the Greek Caryatids.
Unfortunately, the next full performance of the Lipizzaner stallions isn’t for another couple of weeks, so Lynn’s childhood dream of attending one of these performances remains just that…..
Behind the Spanish Riding School. No shade here.
The walk from the Riding School through the Heldenplatz to the Burgring, although picturesque with gardens and the magnificient National Library building and the Burgtor Gate, is baking.
The well-manicured gardens of the Heldenplatz.
Across the Burgring we enter Mariatheresiaplatz with the Natural History museum on our right, the Fine Arts Museum on our left, the Museum Quarter at the back and Maria Theresa’s statue in the middle.
The Natural History Museum built in 1881 for Kaiser Franz Joseph 1.
This 1881 building looks brand new, as do all the 18C and 19C buildings and statues in Vienna.
The Maria Theresa Monument outside the Natural History Museum.
For once it’s great to see pristine buildings, complete statutes and sculptures and fountains that actually work!
The cute, bronze baby elephant outside the Natural History Museum.
The Leopold Museum is one of a number of museums in the MuseumsQuartier. Although there is a small collection of Klimt paintings exhibited here, The Kiss and others are at the Belvedere.
The Museums Quarter.
19 July, 2015
It is going to be at least 37 Deg C today but we head out to see the works of Gustav Klimt and other Austrian artists at the art museum at the Upper Belvedere. I especially liked the fine detail in the paintings by Waldmuller – better pixelation than a digital camera – and Lynn got to see The Kiss and Judith up close and personal.
The Upper Belvedere from the front garden.
Prince Eugen of Savoy, the most celebrated of the Habsburg generals due to his defeat of the Turks in 1683, commissioned the two Belvedere Palaces (Upper and Lower) as a summer residence. The palaces were built in 1714-23.
The garden between the Upper Belvedere and the Lower Belvedere.One of a number of Spinxes at the Upper Belvedere.Too hot for most people to be in the sun admiring the garden.Not even cool here at one of the fountains of the Lower Belvedere.At the end of the gardens.
The Lonely Planet Guide alerted us to the Ringstrasse Tram Tour – but using the regular trams, not the tourist tram – to take in some of Vienna’s highlights.
Even the air conditioning in the Trams couldn’t cope with the heat.The 2 steeples of the Neo-Gothic Votivkirche (Church).The Flemish-gothic edifice of the Rathaus (Town Hall).The neo-classical facade of the Parliament flanked by the Athena Fountain.2 birds with a sword both suffering from the heat – detail from the Athena Fountain.8pm and still too hot. Must be beer o’clock.Hoping for a storm to cool things off…Off to the film festival, a cold beer and a feed.
The Rathausplatz is the venue for the 2015 25 Jahre Film Festival. Food and beverage marquees line the platz and the big screen dead centre of the Town Hall will show one of an eclectic collection of movies of rock concerts, opera, ballet and orchestras. Tonight at 2130 “Frank Sinatra – Concert for the Americas” will feature – but it proves too late and too hot for us. Back to our air conditioned apartment – aahhhh.
20th July, 2015
A day at the Technology Museum of Vienna.
A Model T ford. Still better than the Falcon in Oz.The 1950 Formula 1 Silver Arrow Mercedes Benz.Amazing exhibitions in the Technology Museum.
The E92/E65 from Kalambaka to Delphi passes through vast areas of agricultural land entering the hills at Domokos and near Thermopiles. Near Amfissa the mountains are scarred with extensive bauxite extractions. Just before we reach the hotel we are treated to spectacular view of rugged slopes down to a river valley/delta and the town of Itea on the Korinthiakos Gulf.
View from our room balcony at the Acropole Hotel.
As soon as we check in we head off down the road to the Delphi Museum.
An Ozzie flag with an Ozzie girl attached.
This museum is similar to that at Olympia but on a smaller scale – adjacent to the site; artifacts throughout the sanctuary’s history from 7th C. BC – 4th C AD; sculptures; votives/dedications; treasuries; temples. The original sculptures and votives (e.g. silver bull, bronze charioteer, gold jewellery) are housed in the Museum for preservation.
Looks like this guy received a few blows to the head.The Sphinx of the Naxians in the Delphi Museum – minus the column it was mounted on.
11th-9th C BC the cult of Apollo became established at Delphi when the god installed himself there, having first killed the Python, the snake that guarded the oracle of Ge. During the 8th and 7th C BC, the Delphi sanctuary took shape with the building of the first stone temples, one dedicated to Apollo and the other to Athena.
The Apollo sanctuary at Delphi extends over a series of terraces in the foothills of Mount Parnassos (Mt Parnassos is now Greece’s best ski resort) between two enormous rocks called the Phaidriades. For centuries this was the religious and spiritual centre of the ancient Greek world – and Delphi was viewed as the geographical centre, or navel, of the world.
The Sacred Way – the start of a steep climb in 37 deg C heat.
On both sides of the Sacred Way Greek cities erected their dedications: statues, multifigure sculptural groups, small buildings in the form of temples (treasuries) in which to keep their dedications and spoils of war.
The Treasury of the Athenians.The Temple of Apollo.
The Delphi Oracle operated within the Temple of Apollo, her utterances interpreted by the priests of Apollo.
Looking down on the Temple of Apollo.Even higher climb to the Theatre.
Dramatic and lyric contests were held in the sanctuary theatre.
Hot and very sweaty and still not at the top.Mad dogs and Ozzies out in the noon day sun.The top at last. The Stadium.
In 582 BC the Pythian pan-Hellenic games, second to the Olympian games, were held every 4 years in honour of Apollo to commemorate his victory over the Python. The Stadium was not only used for athletics, but also for musical events.
A drinking well at the finish line of the Stadium.The Temple of Athena Pronaia down the road from the Apollo.The Tholos at the Athena site.Close up of the details of the Tholos.
Now off to the Sofitel at Athens Airport. Today is our last day touring Greece and early in the morning we fly out to Vienna. I must admit that I am over any more ancient ruins for a while and the thought of a highway without serious potholes is alluring.
Our thoughts of the Greeks are that they are undisciplined and unstructured. They believe that hope (and someone else’s efforts) will deliver them from their current economic situation and that rules apply to others. The Greek people are very friendly and always greet you with a smile and most speak excellent English. They make the Italians look like good drivers and have an annoying habit of believing that they can leave their car anywhere as long as they put on the hazard lights. This includes double parking in a narrow street so that the main road users have to wait until the driver has had his coffee before they can get past.
The menus in every village restaurant are identical, the house wine is undrinkable but the Mythos (local beer) is always chilled and they make a mean Greek Salad (as you would expect).
A final thought – a seen on a t-shirt in Plaka, Athens:
TO DO IS TO BE – SOCRATES
TO BE IS TO DO – PLATO
DO BE DO BE DO – SINATRA.
Time to head south with a detour to Mount Olympus.
A map of the walking trails of Mount Olympus.
Although the map showed a road about two-thirds to the peak, we could only go a few kms from the town of Dion before the road became a 4×4 track.
Directions to Mount Olympus from the outskirts of Dion.How the top of Mount Olympus looks close up – a fearsome place for fearsome gods.On the road again from Mount Olympus to Kalambaka.
View of the mountain from the E75 roadside.
Greek road works. Moving dirt from one pile to another for no reason.
Lots of roadworks in Greece – most with nothing happening on them.
The Meteora outcrops towering above Kalambaka.
The GPS took us down to Larisa, across to Trikala and up to Kalambaka. After the flatness of the landscape, the emergence of the Meteora in the diminishing distance is an awesome sight.
St Nikolas Anapafsas Monastery.
15.30 and 33 deg. C – we have time to visit two of the six monasteries before they close – Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) and St Stephen (now a nunnery). As they are at the end of the route, Rob took photos of some of the other monasteries on the way.
The Great Meteoro Monastery.The Varlaam Monastery.The Kapkakia rocks from above Varlaam Monastery.A great view down to the plain of Thessaly and the Peneus River.Holy Trinity Monastery – location of the James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only”.The entrance tunnel and stairs to the Holy Trinity Monastery – 10 down, 130 steps to go .A walkway has been cut into the cliff face which winds up around the rock.St Stephen Nunnery – no steps here – a bridge has been built over the narrow chasm that separates the two rocks.The gardens inside the St Stephen Nunnery.The view from our hotel balcony.
13 July, 2015
A 10.00 am start to beat the heat and the crowds. Well, at least we beat the heat…
No OH&S issues in Greece. The panorama without a safety fence. “Just back up a couple of steps, dear”.Looking from the panorama to the cluster of three monasteries – Great Meteoro, Varlaam and St. Nikolas Anapafsas.
One more monastery should do it – so let’s go for the highest and the biggest – Great Meteoro.
Just before we climbed the 300 steps to the Great Meteoro Monastery.Checking out the ancient wine vats for some left over wine…Old monks never die – they just stack their skulls for later use.Nice views from up here.
The drive from Ioaninna to Thessaloniki was ordinary, except for the mountainous area near Metsovo. The first part of the trip was dominated by long tunnels through the mountains, then onto vast sections of farmland and past two, massive power plants.
White Tower, Thessaloniki.
Our route takes us through the centre of Thessaloniki and along the waterfront on our way to the other side of town where the hotel is located in Perea. Along the way through town we drive past the White Tower and another statue of Alexander the Great (the other in Alexandria).
The statue of Alexander the Great at Thessaloniki
As soon as we arrive at the Royal Hotel, we hit the pool for the afternoon – along with more non-guests!
Nice to cool off in the pool when it reached 38 Degrees C.
10 July – we explore the trident-shaped landmass to the SE of Thessaloniki, driving via Poligiros to Ouranoupoli at the beginning of Agion Oros, the furtherest peninsula and around the middle peninsula which was really picturesque with rugged slopes covered in pines and some white, pebbly beaches along the eastern shores. The coastal route home via N. Moudania and farmland, some 5 hours later, was unremarkable, except for a brief thunderstorm.
Pebble beach at Ierissos on the Gulf of Orfanos.Ierissos – still building old-fashioned timber boats by hand, right on the beach.This adjacent boat shed still cuts its own logs for timber boats.Looking down to the Kassandras Gulf.
11 July, 2015
A catch-up day.
I’m not moving from the bar! If you want to drive around today then go by yourself…Aah… Sunset by the pool.
On the road again, this time NNW to Ioannina, another fortified city with a long and often bloody history of occupation by Bulgarians, Normans, Byzantines, Serbians, Ottomans, Albanians and Greeks, and once the centre of Greek Enlightenment.
Road hazards in Greece.
Not the first time we’ve seen these signs….
Steep peaks en route.
We check into the 5* Epirus Palace Hotel & Conference Centre on the outskirts of town and hit the pool – only to find that it’s not only the few hotel guests that are using the pool. The locals drop in, too!
8 July, 2015
Kirsty’s birthday! Time to check out the historic town centre, and beyond to the Zagoria region and the National Park of Vikos-Amoos.
Ioannina on the lake.Inside the SE Acropolis (Its Kale) and the tomb of Ali Pasha – cleverly disguised as a bird cage.The Fethiye Mosque adjacent to Ali Pasha’s tomb.
This mosque was originally built of wood in 1430, replaced in 1611 by stone then remodelled in 1795 by Ali Pasha as the main mosque to his palace.
Inside the NE Acropolis – a corralled “bang” of cannon balls in front of the Medreses.
The NE Acropolis ‘belonged’ to the Aslan Pasha – mosque built in 1618 and related buildings such as the Medreses which was the Koranic School of Ioannina. The mosque is now the Municipal Ethnographic Museum featuring artifacts from past Christian, Turkish and Jewish communities with donations from notable families.
The Woman of Pindos monument near Asprangeli.
En route to the Zagorian villages of Tsepelovo, Vradeto and Vitsa we came across this monument. During the 1940-41 Italio-Greek war it was the women of the Pindos mountains that stood out by bringing desperately needed supplies to the front under gruelling winter conditions and above 2 km altitude.
We slowed for icy roads but….….it was 30 deg C and this was the coolest it had been all day. Ice? What ice???
Brings to mind that perennial Sesame Street question: Which one of these doesn’t belong??
Captain Arkouda’s stone bridge.
A total of 45 stone bridges were built by benefactors to facilitate transportation and communications in the area.
Queen of the bridge. Any trolls down there?Nearby, Kokira’s stone bridge.Steep side of the bridge but plenty of traction.Part of the 8-day hiking trail between Zagoria villages featuring the Vikos River gorge. Steep! but I preferred to drive in 35 Deg heat.Vikos River Gorge in the Vikos-Aoos National Park.The border crossing to Albania at Kakavia.
As it was so close we opted to drive to Kakavia to check out the check point at the Albanian border. We didn’t have our passports to do the crossing, so we turned for home.
The day has finally arrived for the Greek Referendum – Yes or No to stay in the EuroZone.
We leave the Peloponnese for Nafpaktos. Greece so far had been picturesque, until we hit the stretch of road from Olympia to Pyrgos – we thought we were back in Sicily! It was evident that the local garbage collection hadn’t happened for at least a couple of months. Large road-side bins were not only overflowing, garbage had accumulated all around and down the road, laybys and roadsides became dumping grounds for plastic bags of rubbish.
The modern Rion-Anterion bridge at Patra.
Nafpaktos is a short drive from the bridge – the largest one in Greece. Once we check into the Ilion Hotel, built within the walls of the old Venetian fortress, we take a stroll through the town.
In 1407 the town was sold to the Republic of Venice which strongly fortified the town as it secured the Republic’s trade through the Corinthian Gulf. The layout of the fortified part of town has a castle on top of the hill, interior walls that cross the hill and exterior walls that extend down to and enclose the harbour.
The sea door in the wall of the Nafpaktos fortified town.The lower town wall at Nafpaktos harbour.The statue of Giorgos Anemogiannis on the ramparts at Nafpaktos harbour.
Giorgos died a painful death at the hands of the Turks in 1821 when he unsuccessfully tried to torch the Turkish fleet moored in Nafpaktos harbour. Result – he is a national hero from the Greek War of Independence.
The Castle walls from the port of Nafpaktos.The view from our hotel balcony.
The Ilion Hotel is a stone building on several levels, with colourful bougainvillea-canopied balconies. A nice mix of modern conveniences and old-world charm and hospitality – our laundry was washed and dried for free – and one of few hotels that serve freshly-squeezed orange juice and proper cappuccino at breakfast.
The tiny port of Nafpaktos.
Several boats came and went during our stay – from this three-masted sailing vessel to ultra-sleek power boats.
We ask our hotel proprietor his view of the Referendum. He summed it up as: Whichever way we vote – it’s still the same road!
A typical stony beach at Mitikas.
6 July – we drive NW along the coast road, via Mitikas, to Lefkada on the island of the same name.
Tavernas on the beachfront at Mitikas.
Mitikas has a white, stony beach and lovely views across the water to the island of Lefkada.
Rocky coast road on the way to Lefkada.An odd-coloured “weed” on the side of the roads.
Mauve patches of colour along the road and hillsides caught our attention – a spindly thistle.
An abandoned Fort near Peratia and across from the Island of Lefkada.
One of several forts along the channel between the mainland and the island.
The northern spit view from the Fort near Lefkada.
The ‘smudge’ that extends from the distant headland in the middle of the photo to the right-hand edge, is the causeway to the island.
The crumbling wall of the Fort – west view to the Island of Lefkada.
The town of Lefkada is a bustling place – a bottleneck at the junction of the tip of the island and the narrow causeway – with a very busy port filled with yachts. After a quick drive around the town we head back to Nafpaktos via Thermo on Lake Trichonida.
A very hot 37 Degrees C and not a breeze on Lake Trichonida.
Cloud reflections on the lake – or rising steam?
A long-term temporary structure – otherwise known as Bania Bridge over the Evinos River. Note the 16T weight limit.The steel road surface is breaking up.The bridge is struggling with the VW – LOUD creaks and groans as the car passes over it. I don’t think that it would hold up to a truck.Back on our balcony at Hotel Ilion in Nafpaktos.Dinner at the Koyzina Restaurant – 2 nights in a row – a simple but nice restaurant portside.
As you can see, the Greeks don’t believe in small portions!
One of the few restaurants in Greece which offered a different version of traditional Greek dishes, good service, great tasting food and a decent house white – all for a modest price. We later discover the restaurant is owned by the Greek celebrity chef, Maria Loi. Top marks, Maria!
We drove from Methoni to Olympia via the coast. Pylos, the next town along, proved to be a bit of a gem with an aquaduct at the entrance to the town, a fort and village with lots of alley ways spilling down to the square and harbour. The rest of the journey was delightful – reminiscent of Italy with gently rolling hills to a deep blue sea covered with lush vegetation and pencil pines amid scatterings of well-kept villas.
Aquaduct at Pylos.Pylos Port. Very nice looking seaside village.
After a drive through rich farmland and the banks of a river, then a drive up the hill we arrive at the hotel. It has prime location at the hill’s crest, with views towards the coast and over the village of Olympia which is in a bowl surrounded by small green hills and pencil pines.
The welcome sight of a cool swimming pool in 35 deg heat in Olympia at our hotel.
4 July, 2015 – Visit to the site of the ancient Olympic Games and the Olympia Museum. The tour of the site circled the Temple of Zeus which was the last monument to visit at the site. The Hippodrome, built next to The Stadium, no longer exists as it was washed away by the nearby river.
The Leonidaion with courtyard and pool.
The Leonidaion was built by Leonidas of Naxos in 330 BC and used as a guest house for official visitors to the sanctuary of Olympia.
Base of a fallen column at the temple of Zeus in ancient Olympia.
The columns of the Temple were massive – in order to house the massive statue of Zeus which it is believed was removed to Constantinople during the decline of Olympia, only to be destroyed there during later turbulent times.
Just roll this up, shall I?The remains of the entrance tunnel to The Stadium from the Altis.
The Altis was the sacred grove at Olympia, devoted mainly to Zeus, which took shape during 10th-9th century BC. The first monumental buildings were constructed in 7th-6th century BC with the area of the sanctuary undergoing its final form at the end of the 4th century BC. The games, which were already held in the area in prehistoric times, were reorganised in the 8th century BC, held every 4 years and were panhellenic. When pagan religions were suppressed the institution of the Olympic games, which had flourished for 12 centuries, fell into disuse.
Reverse view of the entrance tunnel to the Altis.The Stadium (212.54m x 28.5m) where the Olympic games were held. The embankments could seat 45,000 people.View of The Stadium from The Treasuries.The remaining pillars of the Temple of Hera – one of the earliest Doric temples in Greece (600 BC).The Philippeion – a circular building begun by Philip II, King of Macedonia and completed by his son.The large column at the Temple of Zeus, the most important building in the Altis.
The Olympia Archaeological Museum is a short walk from the site. It features items from the area’s prehistoric times to the final centuries of the sanctuary including: The Nike of Paionios; the helmet of Miltiades (looking a bit green and squashed) dedicated in the sanctuary after the Athenian victory at the battle of Marathon in 490 BC; Pheidias’s (creator of the statue of Zeus) personal mug inscribed on its base “I am Pheidias’s” and the statue of Hermes.
The statue of Hermes in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.
The statue, sculptured in Parian marble by Praxiteles in 4th century BC depicts Hermes carrying the infant Dionysos to his nurses in Boeotia and was found in the cella of the Temple of Hera.
Back to the hotel pool to cool off in 30 deg heat.
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