IRAKLION, CRETE, GREECE

IRAKLION, CRETE, GREECE

   Once the center of the Minoan civilization, as well as the largest of the Greek Islands, Crete has a lush history that forms a large part of the overall tapestry of Greece. According to Greek mythology, goddess Rhea hid the newborn Zeus in a cave of Crete, where he was subsequently brought up by nymphs who protected him from his enemies.  It was also on Crete that Zeus took the form of a bull to seduce the maiden Europa.

   The Knossos Palace's, the largest in Crete, complexes were arranged around a central court. The city was organized around the palaces.  In them was concentrated the religious and political authority, and they were also entrusted with the organization of the events connected with religion, as well as the production, storage and ultimate disposal of the agriculture products and the management of commerce.  The necessity to record and control the complex activities of the palaces may have led to the development of the two systems of writing which were adopted at this time: Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A which have not yet been deciphered. This was during the Protopalatial Period (2000-1750 BC), the Bronze Age. Their most valuable item to barter since they did not have money yet was copper.  

   The Palace was destroyed several times by earthquakes but it was built back with improvements each times.  It was built with a water system to get water from a spring, and to send sewage to a brook. The complex covered about 25 acres. The Administration Offices and meeting rooms were on one side of the open court yard. On other side were the five stories of apartments for the family and staff to live. The King and Queen had their bedrooms on the bottom floor.

   The Palace fell into disuse and it is not certain why; it could have been another earthquake.  Through the centuries it, as well as the town around it, became covered with soil and olive trees were planted over it. A farmer found some ruins in the late 19^th Century and there have been excavations every since. The town has not been excavated yet.

 

Model of the Palace of Knossos

Columns of Palace of Knossos still standing

Clay cups of multiple colors with egg shell thin sides

Stone with hieroglyphics on both sides

 

 

 

 

VALLETTA, MALTA

VALLETTA, MALTA

     To the south of Italy is the island of Valletta, Malta.  The city boasts a rich past but has also suffered great destruction.  During World War II many buildings were lost during German air raids, including the Royal Opera House.

     The Minajdra Central Temple was built 3,600 years before Christ. During this stone age there was no war. The only tools they had were things to make their life easier and they had no weapons. About 2,500 years BC the Bronze Age people took over and built on the hills. They made weapons. The Romans took over about 218 BC.  The Normans in 1091 AD brought the Catholic religion to Malta. In 1530 King Charles V gave Malta to the Knights.  They were then under British rule for about 150 years and then they got their independence on September 9, 1964.

Independence Statue 1964

Museum Of Archaeology

Plaque on Museum Door

Stone Age tools-ruler, hand for measuring,needle

 

 

 

MGARR, GOZO, MALTA

MGARR, GOZO, MALTA

There are three islands that make up Malta. There are now 416,000 people living here and 320,000 cars. They have 2 million visitors a year. In 60 AD St Paul was ship wrecked just south of Gozo. 7,200 years ago people from Sicily came to inhabit Gozo. They built Temples out of limestone on both Gozo and Valletta, Malta. The Megalithic Temples of Malta are the oldest free-standing stone monuments in the world. These stone age people had some tools that were very advanced for that time.

 Rock behind us called "Blue Window"

 Wall from Temple built 7,200 years ago from limestone

 Map of Gozo. Second largest Malta island.

 

BARCELONA, SPAIN

We flew out of Atlanta on Saturday evening April 6, 2015 to Amsterdam.  We had an uneventful eight hour flight except for the fact I just could not sleep because I could not get comfortable. The seats have gotten so small and closed in there is not enough room for long legs. While we were landing in Amsterdam I took a picture of the fields. There is so much water and the plots are so straight it fascinated me. I’d like to talk to those that farm that area to see how that goes for them.

We had a two hour layover in Amsterdam and then a 1 ½ hour flight to Barcelona, Spain. We were met by representatives from Holland America and we were taken straight to the ship, Prinsendam. The first thing we did was eat, of course, even before we unpacked. Then we took a nap. Tom and I decided if someone wanted to torture us, sleep deprivation would be the best way to do it. We were like zombies the next day which was a sea day, thank goodness. 

 

BARCELONA, SPAIN

In our zombie like state we did have a few hours to get off the ship to walk to the shopping area so we could feel like we had been in Spain. A few streets over we found a flea market which had interesting items. I bought a water color painting from a famous Spanish artist who is now “kaput” according to the vendor. We saw a tall, ornate statue of Christopher Columbus put up in

1842. After getting over jet lag during a day at sea we will dock in Malta.
 

 

 

 

 

The Next Trip

Well, we are off again!! This year we are taking a Mediterranean cruise. The next thing on our bucket list is to visit Ephesus, Turkey and this cruise will take us there. Sandy lived in Ankara, Turkey in her early teens with her Father, who was an Army officer, but she never made it to Ephesus. This cruise takes us to five ports in Turkey, eight in Greece, one in Romania, one in Bulgaria, two in Malta, and two in Israel (Jerusalem), and three in Italy. We will fly home from Rome. I, Sandy, will be sending a blog, from each stop so if you want to follow us on this adventure add your email at the top of the page and you will get an email each time I add to my blog. The next blog will be about 6 or 7 April after we join the ship in Spain.

PHILIPSBURG, ST MAARTEN

PHILIPSBURG, ST MAARTEN

APRIL 25, 2014

 

At only 37 square miles St Martin/St Maaten is the smallest land mass in the world divided between two governments. Having been abandoned by the Spanish in the mid- 17^th century, the French and Dutch moved onto the island at relatively the same time and, after some conflict, decided to split the island in two. While some historians may disagree, legend has it the border was originally decided by a drunken wager between a Dutchman and a Frenchman.  Each agreed to see who could claim the most land by walking in opposite directions around the shore of the island and meeting on the other side.  The winner, by a small amount was the Frenchman and still is to this day as the French now govern 21 square miles to the Dutch’s 16.  Despite the French owning more land, it was the Dutch who came out ahead economically by creating the first duty free port on the island.  The international airport is also on the Dutch side.

 

On tour we were taken through the streets of St Maarten to a large catamaran. It was a beautiful 85 degree day and we were given all the rum punch we wanted while we spent an hour riding through the water to St Martin and the town of Marigot. In Marigold we were given an hour of shopping in the high end French shops and then back on the catamaran.  It was a lovely day enjoyed by all. This is an island we would like to revisit.

 

This was the last port of call on our wonderful cruise. We now have two sea days and then we will be in Fort Lauderdale, FL and on our way home. This has truly been the trip of a lifetime, never to be forgotten.

                                                         Explorer Catamaran

Top deck of the Catamaran

Boats wrecked in 2005 Hurricane

Boats

Island Divide

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    

     

ROSEAU, DOMINICA

ROSEAU, DOMINICA

APRIL 24, 2014

 

Dominica was first discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. He found natives living there and called them Caribs because he found bones and skulls in their homes and he thought they were cannibals. The bones were from their ancestors which they kept in their homes for good luck, but that is how the Caribbean got its name.  He did not claim this island for Portugal or Spain.

 

Settlement of the island dates to the 16^th Century by the French and then it was taken over by the British in the late 18^th Century. Today you can see both French and British colonial architecture throughout the island.

 

Dominica received their independence from Britain in 1978. This volcanic island is 16 miles long and 29 miles wide. Bananas are their biggest export.  There are 72 thousand people on the island.

 

On tour we were taken to the center of the island to the Carib reservation where they have lived for centuries. When the French came they had a treaty with them to allow them to live on this 3,500 acreage area.  Our guide, Florence, said the treaty was broken many times both with the French and the British. But there are 3,500 Caribs living on the land and they feel it is the best area to be on.

 

They are so self-sufficient and raise all their food.  There are many streams that run through their property so they have fresh water. We were first treated to a sugar cane extraction demonstration. We tasted the juice and it was so sweet.  The next house we were taken around by a 75 year old man named Tom.  He grew a little of everything to include all kinds of leaves and herbs to cure all illnesses. He had been curing everyone for so long there must be something to it.  The next stop was to visit a lady who made baskets.  They were so beautiful and skillfully done. Then Florence took us to her house.  The house itself did not look like much from the outside but she and her husband had raised seven children there and collage educated all except the last one still at home. She said they had to add on to the house as the children came along.

 

Florence had an outside cooking area where she showed us how she baked bread for our meal.  Her 24 year old daughter, who had just graduated from college, had prepared the rest of the meal for the 16 of us on the tour. Florence had put two picnic tables in her dining room to seat us all. The food was outstanding.  We could eat like that all the time and not starve and it all came from the farm and we also had fish.

Sugar Cane juice

Coffee Beans

Florence baking bread

The other Tom and Sandy and medicinal plants

Basket weaving

Florence's house

Lunch: tarot, plantain, ?, bakes, coconut cookies, Florence's bread