Kotor.... Still here...

   I having been having very weird blogger troubles, still on going but I am going to try and put the rest of the holiday on while it is working .  This is the entrance to Kotor Montenegro.

At 6in the morning the indefatigable Odyssey staff had a table of pastries and hot coffee as we started the fascinating journey into Kotor.  How anyone found it in the first place is a mystery. Bear in mind that I was right on the pointy bit at the front.  For about an hour or so we just kept sailing towards these walls and thinking this must be it and then suddenly a gap would appear and we would sail towards another "wall" I lost count of just how mant wists and turs there were.

Finally we arrived and parked!

There are a lot of steps in Kotor

 and we climbed hundreds to reach half way.  We were told there was another 500 to reach the ruined castle at the top 

   so we settled for the view from this point.

Going down

In the church there was a little museum with some lovely embroideries and lace

and this door reminded me of one of a journal page.

 

 Back on board a spot of afternoon tea!

 

Dessert was pretty that night too.

and late at night we slipped away trying not to wonder how the Captain was going to manoeuvre all those twists and turns in the dark!

Corfu.....

The tiny part of Corfu we saw was Shady Cafes

and Shady shops

I love this building,

and I'm always on the lookout for an interesting window. 

and rust. Here is lots of rust.

These two photographs made me think of Seth

There was a bit more rust here

There was no rust on this ship

and off again

Pylos

Beginning of week two. A fascinating approach to  Pylos

These rocks seem to pose an inpenetrable barrier.  It fascinated how people managed to find some of the place we visited.  I love rock formations and the entry to Plyos was a delight.

After Athens, Pylos was a complete contrast a small town set on the hillside above the harbour. The gradient of the hill makes for some interesting sights. Like this parked car.

How? What? Of course it is another road running above the one we were on. I don't want to give a false impression of Greece but you do see some wonderfully distressed buildings.

There was a little church at the top of the hill,

I love the way that all these chuches have a shady area, designed for gentle conversation out of the glare of the sun.  Imagine.

From the top of the hill we could look across the roofs to our floating home.

Beautiful isn't she?

 Every town we visited in Greece had its shady meeting point to share a coffee, a beer and some pleasant converation and of course a game of backgammon!.

Leaving Pylos was just as stunning

Some tiles to play with

 

Athens......

End of the first week of our holiday.  Now this is a city which needs way, way more than a flying visit.  The Odyssey docked at Piraeus and we were taken into the city by bus.

 Our first stop was the stadium where the first of the modern day Olympic Games were held in 1896. A much simpler affair than the transormation of east London which is taking place right now..

We then drove past many imposing buildings and caught just a glimpse of the famous Evzoni.

Our next stop was the amazing Museum of the Acropolis It is built with glass floors above the ruins of the older city. 

eventually this older part will be open too.  Inside where photography was strictly forbidden,  we were made very aware of the pieces that are in the British Museum, known as the Elgin Marbles.

Our final stop was the Acropolis itself.  We strolled up the wooded hill

and I caught a glimpse of this gentleman. I would have loved to seen him face on.

We paused at the first stone built theatre,

and kept climbing with our goal in sight.

  finally reached the Parthenon.


The top of the Acropolis is one huge restoration site and was crowded with tourists like us so I am quite pleased with this photograph because, I managed just one and a half people. Memo to all tourists, please do  not wear bright red, I so often find that I am just going to press the button and someone wearing brilliant scarlet appears in the viewfinder!!!!
I don't know if any other city in the world has such a viewpoint as this, which ever way you turn the city spreads out before you.

As you can see one day could not do justice to the amazing city.

I liked this reflection in the building behind our mooring



Navplion contd...

We arrived at the folk museum just twenty minutes before it closed, I could have spent a day.  Here are just a few of the wonderful costumes on display.

and something for the gentlemen

 There was beautiful lace

and I loved these purses

on the way out we liked this window

This is just a fraction of the museum.  Wish I had

 had more time.

Just time for a stroll through the square,

and a delicious ice cream

and a last look back at the town from the harbour.

Obligatory texture picture!!

I am still having problems, this post has taken over an hour to write.  I hope they fix it soon, Can't cope!